Central Nova News

A lecture by historian Robert Colby is scheduled at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum on Thursday, March 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. Colby, who serves as an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Mississippi, will present insights from his recent book "An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War South," published by Oxford University Press in 2024.

Colby's lecture will delve into how the trade of enslaved people continued throughout the Civil War. Despite ongoing conflict between Fort Sumter and Appomattox, Confederates engaged in buying and selling thousands of enslaved individuals. This activity was driven by various motivations such as adapting to wartime conditions, investing in a future centered around slaveholding, and resisting emancipation. These transactions significantly affected the lives of the enslaved and influenced their pursuit of freedom during this period. The persistence of this trade shaped both the Civil War experience and its aftermath for those living in the wartime South.

Colby's research has been recognized with awards from organizations like the Society of American Historians and the Society of Civil War Historians. His work has also appeared in publications including the Journal of the Civil War Era, Journal of the Early Republic, and Slavery & Abolition.

Tickets for this event are priced at $15 per person or $12 for Historic Alexandria members. Proceeds will benefit the Freedom House Museum.

Event Details:

- Date: Thursday, March 6

- Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

- Location: Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street)

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic.

Reasonable disability accommodations can be arranged by contacting Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@alexandriava.gov or calling 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.

For language interpretation services, email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703-746-3960.

The Office of Historic Alexandria is dedicated to preserving and sharing Alexandria's history through various museums and programs. More details can be found on their website alexandriava.gov/Historic.