Last updated: April 23, 2024
Place
Information Panel: The Path to Freedom
NPS / Claire Hassler
Quick Facts
Amenities
3 listed
Braille, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Tactile Exhibit
Past the rose garden, about a 10-minute walk from here, rows of houses curved around the land once owned by the Lee family. This was Freedmans Village, a temporary community of former slaves established in 1863. Most who lived here risked their lives to escape the chains of slavery. Their opportunity came as Union troops marched throughout Virginia and Maryland.
Freedmans Village was home to more than 1,100 people including Sojourner Truth, who lived here for one year. Two families made a home under each roof, planting trees and vegetable gardens. A hospital cared for the sick, while churches and schools cultivated minds. Many worked in construction and some enlisted in the Union Army. Under segregation, villagers faced hardships and the threat of eviction. Nonetheless, a chance at a new life began.
Freedmans Village was home to more than 1,100 people including Sojourner Truth, who lived here for one year. Two families made a home under each roof, planting trees and vegetable gardens. A hospital cared for the sick, while churches and schools cultivated minds. Many worked in construction and some enlisted in the Union Army. Under segregation, villagers faced hardships and the threat of eviction. Nonetheless, a chance at a new life began.