Unveiling Untold Stories: Black & White Experiences in Ashland/ Hanover

“Untold Stories: Black & White Experiences Growing Up in Ashland/Hanover" promises an afternoon of insight, reflection, and cultural celebration. On Sunday, February 25, 2024, from 4-6 PM at Patrick Henry High School, Ashland and Hanover will explore the rich tapestry of our local history, illuminating narratives that span generations and resonate with timeless significance.

Untold Stories, now in its tenth year, has become a cornerstone of Ashland's cultural calendar, drawing residents from across the region to participate in an engaging oral history format. Against the backdrop of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, attendees will hear firsthand accounts from local residents on topics ranging from race and community to segregation and education.

Under the skilled moderation of Anthony Keitt, a panel of six local residents will share their personal narratives, followed by wrap-up speaker Dr. John Kinney and a rousing gospel choir performance. Each portion of the program offers insight into the complexities of Ashland’s and Hanover County's historical landscape.

The event's thematic focus on education invites participants to explore the pivotal role of learning in shaping individual experiences and community dynamics. From the challenges of segregated schooling to the triumphs of educational resilience, Untold Stories invites audiences aged 13 and older to engage with narratives that resonate across generations.

Adding a vibrant cultural dimension to the proceedings, the Community Gospel Chorus, under the direction of Tyler Spurlock, will deliver a joyful performance that underscores the enduring power of music as a unifying force.

Since its inception in 2014, Untold Stories has been a collaborative endeavor, made possible through the partnership of the Downtown Ashland Association, Ashland Museum, Hanover County Black Heritage Society, and Hanover Arts and Activities Center. Together, these organizations have nurtured a space for dialogue, reflection, and community connection.

The event's free and open-door policy ensures that everyone, from middle schoolers to adults, can participate in this transformative experience. For those unable to attend in person, DVD recordings of previous Untold Stories programs are available for purchase at the Ashland Museum.

Join us on February 25th in the Patrick Henry High School auditorium to illuminate the hidden chapters of our shared history and forge new connections that transcend the boundaries of time and tradition.

Untold Stories: A Retrospective

“Untold Stories: Growing up in Ashland/Hanover — Black & White Experiences” is a powerful annual event hosted by Downtown Ashland Association and our non-profit partners. Local residents share personal memories of life in our segregated southern community during the 40s, 50s, and 60s. The stories are often powerful, emotional and inspiring.

While we couldn't hold our Untold Stories forum this year in-person, we are proudly sharing the video retrospective of our past seven programs. We are deeply grateful to the volunteer storytellers and organizers for sharing these stories with our community.

Living History

An historic marker was erected June 24, 2020 in honor of Martha Ann Fields by Virginia Department of Historic Resources. This important representation of our local history is open to visitors on the lawn of Historic Hanover County Courthouse.

Ajena Rogers (second from right) and her family are pictured at “The Fields Family” historic marker with Hanover Tavern in the background. They are joined by Julie Langan of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (at right).
Photo Courtesy of Hanover County.

Martha Ann Fields was enslaved at the Nutshell Farm plantation that encompassed what is now the Hanover County government complex. She was forced to work as a laborer and cook at Hanover Tavern, a part of the plantation property.

In 1863, Martha Ann Fields led six of her children, one infant grandson and a future son-in-law to escape across the Pamunkey River at night, reaching the Union Army lines. The family settled at Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia, where Fields reunited with all of her ten living children and husband.

The oldest remaining photo of Hanover Tavern, taken around the turn of the 20th century.
Photo courtesy of Hanover Tavern Foundation

Martha Ann Fields’ courage and resilience are honored with an historic marker displayed permanently on the lawn of Hanover County Courthouse. Prior to the Civil War, the site held slave auctions that split the Fields family. An historic marker now stands alongside other courthouse memorials to bring recognition to the lives and presence of those who were enslaved.

Ajena Rogers of Ashland, a descendant of Martha Ann Fields, was instrumental in achieving this recognition. She explained the historic marker’s significance:

“To have this marker in the shadow of the historic Hanover Court House and Hanover Tavern is something I never imagined. Just 10 years ago when I moved to Ashland, I brought my young daughter to visit the historic tavern. Back then I was only aware of a small part of my family’s connection to the place: that my great-great grandfather James Fields as an enslaved youth had been inspired to become a lawyer while tending the lawyers’ horses at the courthouse on court days. I was overcome with emotion as I stood across the street from the very place he had dared to dream about a better future. Nearly 150 years and five and six generations later we were standing where he had stood but were free to come and go in a world he could only have imagined.

“However, it’s a credit to timing and the folks here in Hanover that my personal story didn’t stay mine alone. It took many heads, hearts and hands to come together during the 150th anniversary of the Civil War to help me bring the Fields family story back to life. We rediscovered James, his parents Martha Ann and Washington Fields, his brother George and his siblings in a quest to bring more voices into the sesquicentennial commemoration. Through dramatic readings, research papers. plays, manuscript publications, and more over the last few years, so many people have been hearing and learning about a family history has only added to the usual, familiar Civil War narratives. It boggles my mind that school children all over Hanover are learning about Martha Ann and her strength, faith, perseverance and love for her family.

“The marker is a culmination of a lot of hard work and effort to represent the people of Hanover more fully on the landscape. It’s been incredibly moving to be a catalyst and a witness to it all. It was Martha Ann’s prayers and actions in 1863 that got me here. It’s humbling to imagine what effect our actions, by placing this marker and memorializing this history, may have on our descendants, generations into the future.”

The Fields Family historic marker is available to visitors on the grounds of the Historic Hanover County Courthouse. Tours of the courthouse and grounds are available by appointment. The fully restored Hanover Tavern is located directly across Route 301 from the historic marker, hosting tours, a restaurant, and a theater.

Historic Hanover Courthouse
Photo courtesy of Richmond Region Tourism

Hanover Tavern
Photo courtesy of Hanover Tavern Foundation

Untold Stories 2020

Sunday, February 23 hundreds of Ashland and Hanover residents gathered for “Untold Stories: Growing Up in Ashland/Hanover—Black & White Experiences”. 2020 was the sixth annual Untold Stories event. The program proved, once again, to be a moving experience for both the presenters and the audience.

Untold Stories is organized annually by a diverse group of volunteers who come together in support of telling our community’s history with our own words. We are proud to share a brief history of the committee’s success below:

Historic photo courtesy of Ashland Museum

How Untold Stories Came to Be
by Barry Green

In late 2013, a small committee chaired by Anthony Keitt and consisting of members of the board for the Hanover Arts and Activities Center met to consider ideas for a Black History Month program the following February.  They came up with an idea to record oral histories as told by older African–Americans who had grown up in Hanover County about what it was like growing up, working, and raising families in the county in the l940’s, 1950’s, and 1960’s.

A member of the committee contacted Ashland videographer and documentarian Tom Wulf to see if he would provide guidance on editing the video recordings.  Tom advised that the Ashland Museum was in the process of planning a birthday celebration for the Town of Ashland and planned to have older town residents speak about their experiences growing up in the town.

After a discussion between the two committees, a decision was made to join the two efforts and to have both black and white citizens sit as a panel and tell their stories to a County audience.  A larger committee was created, including the Center, the Ashland Museum, the Hanover County Black Heritage Society and Downtown Ashland Association (then known as Ashland Main Street Association) to plan the program.

The first program was held at the Center in February of 2014 before a standing-room only crowd.  “Untold Stories—Growing Up in Ashland/Hanover—Black  and White Experiences,” has been held each year since at various venues.  Each has had 3 black and 3 white speakers (3 women and 3 men) who grew up in different parts of the County.  Each program has ended with songs performed by the Hanover Community Gospel Choir, a group of white and black singers who join together to bring the event to a rousing conclusion.

Sue Watson smiles in the front row of the inaugural Untold Stories event in 2014, while Beryl Carter and Woody Tucker speak.

“I am always glad to bring people together to sing together in our Community Gospel choir that concludes our Untold Stories Program. Each year we try to get a different leader –a minister of music from a different church. And we try to get singers from many different churches and choirs.
The results are impressive. The rehearsals are hard and wonderful. People are learning music that they may or may not know. And that requires working together to teach and to learn. The singers help each other learn their parts and get to know each other as the rehearsal process continues. During the actual program, the choir’s songs are the last part of the program and the audience usually gets involved as the choir sings with keyboard, bass, and drums. The spirit on stage and in the audience is impressive. Singing together brings people together. And the process of working and learning and singing together for Untold Stories receives high praise and strong reviews as people value our shared musical experience that we share with the audiences.
Choir members use words such as joy, pride, happy, human, surprising, spiritual, meaningful, and important when they talk about why they value their community gospel choir experiences. They like that the rehearsals and performances bring the individuals together. They regularly ask, ‘When are we going to do this again?’”

— Sue Watson

“I really enjoy getting to know and understand people through their stories. The more we know and understand each other the better we can get along.”

— Mary Waddy

History in Our Own Words

Untold Stories: Growing Up in Ashland/Hanover — Black & White Experiences

Sunday, February 23, 2020
4pm at Patrick Henry High School.

In this one-of-a-kind oral history program, local residents tell their own personal stories of segregation, integration, and civil rights.

This year’s event will also feature an interview with local resident and National Park Service Ranger Ajena Rogers to discuss her Hanover County ancestors’ history in slavery and freedom. The program will close with an uplifting performance by the Community Gospel Choir.

2020 marks the seventh annual Untold Stories event. Each year’s program is a transformative experience for both the presenters and the audience.

Downtown Ashland Association asked several past speakers why they made the brave choice to participate in the Untold Stories program and why the continue to support the event:

“Untold Stories provided me an opportunity to share my perspectives through the eyes of my early years, to acknowledge personal biases I would later overcome, and to publicly proclaim the positive influences others have had in my life — Untold Stories has people talking! ”

— John Gordon

“I think sharing our stories of growing up in Hanover County strengthens personal connections among panelists and the audience. By opening ourselves up and sharing personal experiences a deeper, more authentic understanding is developed and a healthy dialogue created. It is rewarding to see increased attendance each year as a result of discussions in the community about what they heard during Untold Stories.”

— Hilda Kelly

“We continue to be indebted to the legacies of unspoken heroes and champions of our communities. These visionaries, by their own means, have their own experiences and wisdom worthy of sharing with generations. We encourage others to reap the history of the Untold Stories of a time not so long ago and not forgotten. In the spirit of community, thank you for entrusting their stories and indelible markings as a part of American history.”

— Earl & Francine Hunter

Earl Hunter, Hilda Kelly, John Gordon, Eloise Piccolo, Woody Tucker, and Beryl Carter (not pictured) spoke to a standing-room-only crowd at the inaugural Untold Stories event in 2014.