White Washing an African American Landscape: A Look at “Self-Deportation” Strategies in 19th Century Virginia

Author(s): Stefan Woehlke

Year: 2014

Summary

Following emancipation in Orange County, Virginia, a dramatic shift in demographics from a predominantly African American population to one dominated by White Americans began. Through a combination of political, legal, economic, and social pressures, the cultural landscape was shaped by diverse strategies aimed at the subjugation and removal of African Americans, paralleling many of the ‘self-deportation’ strategies used against immigrant communities today. The archaeological investigation of this period not only highlights the dire effects of this process, but the strength of the African American community, and the success of their endurance strategies over the last 150 years.

Cite this Record

White Washing an African American Landscape: A Look at “Self-Deportation” Strategies in 19th Century Virginia. Stefan Woehlke. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. 2014 ( tDAR id: 437362)

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-80,05