First Africans Day

First Africans Day at Stratford Hall

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Archival records show that in July of 1738, seventy enslaved West Africans consigned to Thomas Lee of Virginia arrived in the south Potomac aboard the Liverpool Merchant. Some helped to create and sustain what would become Stratford, others were sold to neighboring plantations. Each year, we remember these “first Africans” and honor all the ancestors once enslaved here by commemorating their lives, cultures, contributions, and resilience.

Admission is free and includes access to the Great House, grounds, and all First Africans Day activities including:

• Opening Ceremony at the African American Cemetery, featuring Cheyney McKnight, Tanyah Dadze, Slam Stewart, and the Shiloh Baptist Church Choir
• Performance by the KanKouran West African Dance Company
• Keynote Speech by Adrienne Whaley, Director of Education & Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution
• Foodways in the Historic Kitchen with Dontavius Williams
• Interpretation of the Payne Cabin with Willie & Hope Wright
• Textile & Sewing Demonstrations with Nastassia Parker
• Domestic Enslavement Interpretation by Adam Canaday
• Historic Trades with Harold Caldwell
• Drum Circles with the African Diaspora Ensemble
• Storytelling & Open Mic in the Great House
• Closing Ceremony on the Stratford Beach