NewsA Family’s Drag Tradition in Bristol
Seventeen-year-old Anna Fleenor of Bristol first raced on a drag strip as part of a youth racing class. From the passenger seat, her father, Chris—a seasoned racer—offered tips to quell her nerves. But as soon as the light turned green, he gave Anna a command that she still hears in her head when it’s time to race: “Mash it.”
NewsPolice Culture
Police suicide rates are on the rise. It’s clear that mental health is a real problem in the profession. Stacey Clifton studies how the very culture of police–a sort of macho suppression of emotion–makes it extra hard to address their mental health crises.
NewsThe Vanishing Schools of Franklin County, Virginia
Public Humanities Fellows William and Abraham Gibson discuss their project examining Franklin County’s efforts to provide its children with an education in the early 20th century.
NewsThe Oyster King of New York
Encyclopedia Virginia editor Patti Miller and Joanne Hyppolite of the National Museum of African American History and Culture discuss the remarkable life of culinary entrepreneur and activist Thomas Downing in …
NewsVirginia Voices Podcast Gives Everyday Virginians A Platform
In today’s media landscape, the Virginia Voices podcast offers a rarity: intimate and candid conversation with the individuals most deeply affected by our Commonwealth’s current events, policies, and economic trends.
NewsVirginia Folklife Program Transcribes Oral Histories for Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
Our Virginia Folklife team recently presented transcribed oral histories to the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum.
NewsDaal, Kirtan & Chunni on the National Mall
On April 9, 2023, the National Mall transformed from a space of American nationalism and Western secularism into a celebration of Punjabi heritage and Sikh history with the 6th annual Sikh Freedom March.
NewsSupport Encyclopedia Virginia
Encyclopedia Virginia’s September fundraising campaign is underway to raise $10,000 to support free, public access to Virginia history.
NewsREPLAY: Women on Screen
Disney princesses can be a bit of a scapegoat for what’s wrong with representations of women in movies
NewsOpen Book
Traditionally people become licensed educators and then enter a classroom. Smita Mathur (James Madison University) and her colleagues took a different approach. They invited migrant farm workers to come teach …
NewsUpcoming Virginia Powwows
A powwow is a time for tribes to gather with one another and the public, providing a vibrant display of Native cultures. The public is always welcome to attend and enjoy the unique cultural foods, dances, and arts of each tribe.
NewsThe “Racial Brain” Collector and the Dark History of Eugenics
Virginia became a leader in the promotion and practice of eugenic sterilization in the first half of the twentieth century, as detailed in our new Encyclopedia Virginia entry on Eugenic Sterilization in Virginia.
