Center for Mason Legacies
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Suggestions for listening, reading, and exploring the history of Juneteenth.

The Virginia Declaration of Rights, written by George Mason, is often noted for its influence on the Declaration of Independence and as the basis of the Bill of Rights. The opening statement, that the Declaration of Rights “is made by the representatives of the good people of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention which rights do pertain to them and their posterity, as the basis and foundation of government” was, however, limited to a certain group of people. Not all people of Virginia were represented at the Convention.

Preserving community archives is essential to the work of the Center for Mason Legacies, as we explore the various legacies of our nation’s founding, including our troubled history with enslavement and displacement of indigenous peoples.