Hampton National Historical Site was established as a unit of the National Park Service in 1948 because “outstanding merit as an architectural monument.” The result was the romanticization of the Hampton Plantation and the exclusion of the stories of the people enslaved at Hampton from the history.
Over the past several years, cooperated with historians, partners, universities, and descendants to center the stories of people enslaved by the Ridgely family at Hampton. Finally, we can to bring the stories of the enslaved to light and bring back the voices of those whose voices were stifled for many years.
This attempt to tell the complete story of the history of Hampton National Historic Site has allowed for several stories to be highlighted below.
Learn about Chattel Slavery at Hampton