Descendants of Enslaved communities collection
Remembering our roots
DEC at UVA is a community of descendants of the enslaved and free Black communities who labored at the University of Virginia. Through research, education, and preservation of historical information, DEC at UVA is committed to reclaiming the narrative, honoring the legacy, and achieving restorative justice for communities rooted in and around the University of Virginia. This oral history collection is the result of a several years of relationship building and partnership with Reflections and the DEC founders. The goal is to offer descendants a platform to share their experiences and family history in their own voice, preserving the record for future generations. By sharing these stories, we hope to add new depth to
restoring agency
Visit the DEC@UVA website to explore their work and how to support their initiatives.
Reclaiming the narrative
Hear the first-person accounts of the descendant community.