Governor Abigail Spanberger today unveiled a new sculpture at the African Landing Memorial at Fort Monroe, commemorating the historic site where the first recorded Africans arrived in English North America in 1619.
The ceremony, part of African Landing Commemoration Week and a signature event for Virginia’s 250th anniversary, featured a sculpture by Brian R. Owens. It depicts a family, inspired by Antony, Isabella, and Baby William, the first African family and child in Virginia Colony records, while also honoring the broader community brought aboard the White Lion.
Governor Spanberger emphasized Virginia's commitment to the site, saying, “Virginia will care for this sacred ground. Virginia will tell its story honestly. Virginia will protect it, sustain it, and make sure its honor is secured for every generation that comes after us.” Dr. Karsonya “Kaye” Wise Whitehead, president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, added, “It is at this site that memory becomes an act of responsibility.”
Fort Monroe holds dual significance, also being the site of the 1861 Contraband Decision, a turning point toward emancipation. The event saw attendance from Angolan Minister for Culture, Tourism, and the Environment Filipe Zau and Ambassador Agostinho Van-Dúnem, alongside state and local leaders, and children of descendant families who spoke the names of the 1619 Africans.