Economy & Industry

In the Reconstruction period following the Civil War, newly freed African Americans faced monumental challenges to establish their own households, farm their own lands, establish community institutions and churches, and to pursue equal justice under the law in a period of racist violence. A new NPS report presents the story of the extraordinary accomplishments of rural African Americans in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Sarah E. Nelson's appeal of a 1934 legal demand for payment of back taxes, and threat of foreclosure, on land, adjacent to St. Paul's Church, that her family had possessed since the early 19th century.

Charles and Ada Young purchased the property they called "Youngsholm" in 1907. In the early 1900s, Colonel Charles Young was a military leader of Buffalo Soldiers, a diplomat, and a social reformer. The features of the Youngsholm cultural landscape are associated with Colonel Young's life and the family's period of residence. They developed the property as a working farm landscape and a social setting by adding domestic landscape features and renovating buildings.

Maggie L. Walker led the African American community of Richmond, Virginia, in many aspects. She was involved in the struggle for civil rights and maintained her successful banking and newspaper businesses and charitable societies.