EXHIBITIONS BY TOPIC

African Americans

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  Death or Liberty: Gabriel, Nat Turner, and John Brown
  (January 10, 2000—November 8, 2000)

  Drawing from the archival collections at the Library, Death or Liberty explored three dramatic events in Virginia that focused America's attention on the problem of slavery: Gabriel's Conspiracy in 1800, Nat Turner's Rebellion in Southampton County in 1831, and John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Examine the documents online.

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  Brown v. Board of Education: Virginia Responds
  (December 29, 2003—July 31, 2004)

  Marking the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down segregation in school, Brown v. Board of Education explored Virginia's reaction to the ruling through the letters and petitions of individual citizens and organizations sent to elected officials and through the adoption of the policy of "Massive Resistance."

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  Freeing Art From Wood: The Sculpture of Leslie Garland Bolling
  (July 24, 2006—October 21, 2006)

  Through timing, perseverance, and sheer good fortune, Leslie Garland Bolling (1898–1955) captured the attention and imagination of the art public from 1926 to 1943 with more than eighty portrait busts and sculptures of working people and nude figures. He faced obstacles: he was African American, he was self–taught, and he lived in the segregated South. The web exhibition includes descriptions and, where available, illustrations of works discovered after the physical exhibition closed. The catalog, Freeing Art from Wood, is available from the Virginia Shop.

Art and Architecture

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  Father and Son: The Works of John Gadsby Chapman and Conrad Wise Chapman
  (October 16, 1998—March 22, 1999)

  Father and Son: The Works of John Gadsby Chapman and Conrad Wise Chapman presented more than one hundred sketches, watercolors, engravings, and oils by these two Virginia artists for the first time since the 1960s. The exhibition consisted of three sections: John Gadsby Chapman's work as a leading illustrator in the 1830s and 1840s; scenes of Italy and France by both Chapmans; and oils and watercolors of Mexico by Conrad Wise Chapman.

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  Block. Ink. Paper. The Prints of J.J. Lankes and Charles W. Smith
  (June 4, 2001—December 1, 2001)

  In the 1930s, New York-born Julius John Lankes and Virginian Charles William Smith both worked in woodcut, an old style of printmaking, and in Virginia. Explore how these two artists created different views of Virginia in the same medium.

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  Jefferson and the Capitol of Virginia
  (January 7, 2002—June 15, 2002)

  Jefferson & The Capitol of Virginia examined how Jefferson, the founder of monumental civic architecture, began his achievements in civic design with the Virginia State Capitol in which he united the lofty principles and grand scale of the Classical tradition with established Virginia customs.

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  Legacies of the New Deal in Virginia
  (April 14, 2003—December 6, 2003)

  Legacies of the New Deal in Virginia offered overviews of two major components of Roosevelt's New Deal—the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Projects Administration—whose achievements continue to enrich our lives. New Deal-related collections at the Library that were highlighted in the exhibition are still available in genealogical, historical, sociological, and cultural research.

• 

  Freeing Art From Wood: The Sculpture of Leslie Garland Bolling
  (July 24, 2006—October 21, 2006)

  Through timing, perseverance, and sheer good fortune, Leslie Garland Bolling (1898–1955) captured the attention and imagination of the art public from 1926 to 1943 with more than eighty portrait busts and sculptures of working people and nude figures. He faced obstacles: he was African American, he was self–taught, and he lived in the segregated South. The web exhibition includes descriptions and, where available, illustrations of works discovered after the physical exhibition closed. The catalog, Freeing Art from Wood, is available from the Virginia Shop.

• 

  Never Built Virginia
  (January 11, 2008—January 26, 2008)

  From Thomas Jefferson's design of the Virginia State Capitol to Northern Virginia's soaring post-modern structures of glass and steel, the commonwealth's architectural triumphs are well-documented. But what of those that never made it beyond the drawing board? Never Built Virginia explored a variety of proposed architectural projects from around the commonwealth that remained unbuilt because the architecture was too radical, because funding collapsed, or because they lost favor with their patrons.

Civil Rights

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  Brown v. Board of Education: Virginia Responds
  (December 29, 2003—July 31, 2004)

  Marking the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down segregation in school, Brown v. Board of Education explored Virginia's reaction to the ruling through the letters and petitions of individual citizens and organizations sent to elected officials and through the adoption of the policy of "Massive Resistance."

• 

  Freeing Art From Wood: The Sculpture of Leslie Garland Bolling
  (July 24, 2006—October 21, 2006)

  Through timing, perseverance, and sheer good fortune, Leslie Garland Bolling (1898–1955) captured the attention and imagination of the art public from 1926 to 1943 with more than eighty portrait busts and sculptures of working people and nude figures. He faced obstacles: he was African American, he was self–taught, and he lived in the segregated South. The web exhibition includes descriptions and, where available, illustrations of works discovered after the physical exhibition closed. The catalog, Freeing Art from Wood, is available from the Virginia Shop.

Education

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  Brown v. Board of Education: Virginia Responds
  (December 29, 2003—July 31, 2004)

  Marking the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down segregation in school, Brown v. Board of Education explored Virginia's reaction to the ruling through the letters and petitions of individual citizens and organizations sent to elected officials and through the adoption of the policy of "Massive Resistance."

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  Virginia Library Association: Honoring the Past, Building Our Future; One Hundred Years of the Virginia Library Association
  (December 4, 2004—March 15, 2005)

  Learn more about the Virginia Library Association (VLA) which has developed, promoted, and improved library and information services and the profession of librarianship to advance literacy and learning and to ensure access to information for all Virginians.

Geography and Exploration

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  Mapping Virginia
  (April 23, 1999—December 15, 1999)

  Mapping Virginia offered a sampling of the many kinds of maps created by and for Virginians in the past 400 years. The history of cartography in Virginia reflects the pivotal role of the Old Dominion as a leader in much of the political, military, and economic history of the United States. In a rapidly changing society property ownership, political boundaries, economic resources, and the environment were best understood through the mapmaker's craft. Virginia in Maps, published in 1999 and the basis for the exhibition, is available from the Virginia Shop.

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  Virginia's Coal Towns
  (March 30, 2001—October 27, 2001)

  Through images and documents, Virginia's Coal Towns explored the history of coal as a significant part of Virginia's economy, as well as the lives of the miners, who spent so much time underground in dangerous, dirty jobs, and their families.

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  Maps, Charts & Atlases
  (March 1, 2004—July 3, 2004)

  Maps, Charts & Atlases honored the dedication and devotion of Alan M. Voorhees to the collection, preservation, and study of cartographic materials. An avid collector, Mr. Voorhees donated to the Library of Virginia maps that focus on the exploration of the Chesapeake Bay area and the development of Virginia within the context of both European and American history. The cultural perceptions, political aspirations, and extent of geographical knowledge of those who created these maps and atlases are evident in the lavish cartouches, or title areas, and the illustrations and land claims, many with bright hand-coloring. These maps are available for research use in the Library of Virginia's Nathalie P. Voorhees Map Room.

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  Myth and Memory: Understanding 400 Years of Virginia History
  (January 8, 2007—January 15, 2007)

  Myth and Memory: Understanding Four Hundred Years of Virginia History examined how Virginians have remembered their past through public events, through writing about history, and through marking history on the landscape. Because Virginians are peculiarly interested in, and contentious about, their past, their historical memory often results in competing interpretations.

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  From Williamsburg to Wills's Creek: The Fry-Jefferson Map
  (August 18, 2008—May 30, 2009)

  This exhibition focuses on the sources and sequels of the Fry–Jefferson map, created by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson in 1755. The exhibition examines the role of surveyors in colonial Virginia, the importance of the surveying experience for Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson in creating their important map, and the influence of their map on later cartographic representations of Virginia. The published map included Fry and Jefferson's completed border survey for the western bounds of the Northern Neck and the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina. For the first time the entire Virginia river system was properly delineated, and the northeast-southwest orientation of the Appalachian Mountains was displayed.

Literature and Music

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  Virginia Roots Music: Creating and Conserving Tradition
  (July 8, 2002—March 22, 2003)

  Virginia Roots Music: Creating and Conserving Tradition explored the collecting and recording of Virginia music in the two decades before World War II. That music formed the bedrock of the country, blues, and gospel music traditions that exist today. Both the collectors and the recorders responded to fundamental changes in the economy, technology, and society of America and the South as phonographs and radio began to spread traditional musical forms to a wider audience. Listen to sound files of these early recordings of Virginia's music.

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  Radio in Virginia
  (December 1, 2003—July 17, 2004)

  Radio in Virginia used the WRVA collection to explore the rise of radio in the Commonwealth. Established in 1925, WRVA was one of the earliest radio stations in Virginia. Listen to sample recordings from the Library's WRVA collection.

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  Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster?
  (July 20, 2009—December 5, 2009)

  Who is Edgar Allan Poe? An instantly recognizable American author and historical figure, his name calls to mind spine-chilling stories and melancholy poetry. He evokes the image of the tragic romantic poet, misunderstood and rejected by society. We are so familiar with his life and work that we already know him. Or do we?

Politics

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  "A full vote, a free ballot, and a fair count": Political Life in Virginia
  (January 10, 2000—November 13, 2000)

  "A full vote, a free ballot and a fair count" examined key events and issues in Virginia's political history and charted the gradual enlargement of the franchise. Since the founding of Jamestown in 1607, political life in Virginia has undergone many changes that have often involved debates about who could vote and who could not.

• 

  Death or Liberty: Gabriel, Nat Turner, and John Brown
  (January 10, 2000—November 8, 2000)

  Drawing from the archival collections at the Library, Death or Liberty explored three dramatic events in Virginia that focused America's attention on the problem of slavery: Gabriel's Conspiracy in 1800, Nat Turner's Rebellion in Southampton County in 1831, and John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. Examine the documents online.

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  John Marshall
  (January 8, 2001—March 31, 2001)

  Marking the 200th anniversary of his becoming the fourth chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the exhibition John Marshall highlighted the life of Marshall (1755–1838).

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  Taking Office: Inaugurations of Virginia's Governors
  (October 29, 2001—June 22, 2002)

  Taking Office: Inaugurations of Virginia's Governors documents how the gubernatorial inauguration has evolved from a quiet ceremony to a public event.

• 

  Legacies of the New Deal in Virginia
  (April 14, 2003—December 6, 2003)

  Legacies of the New Deal in Virginia offered overviews of two major components of Roosevelt's New Deal—the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Projects Administration—whose achievements continue to enrich our lives. New Deal-related collections at the Library that were highlighted in the exhibition are still available in genealogical, historical, sociological, and cultural research.

• 

  Working Out Her Destiny: Women's History in Virginia
  (August 2, 2004—March 26, 2005)

  Working Out Her Destiny: Women's History in Virginia, 1600-2004 took a fresh look at the history of Virginia's women and the history of Virginia in the light of twenty years of innovative scholarship since the 1984-1985 Virginia Women's Cultural History Project presented the first ever exhibition and book on Virginia women's history, "'A Share of Honour,' Virginia Women 1600-1945."

Popular Culture

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  Virginia Roots Music: Creating and Conserving Tradition
  (July 8, 2002—March 22, 2003)

  Virginia Roots Music: Creating and Conserving Tradition explored the collecting and recording of Virginia music in the two decades before World War II. That music formed the bedrock of the country, blues, and gospel music traditions that exist today. Both the collectors and the recorders responded to fundamental changes in the economy, technology, and society of America and the South as phonographs and radio began to spread traditional musical forms to a wider audience. Listen to sound files of these early recordings of Virginia's music.

• 

  Radio in Virginia
  (December 1, 2003—July 17, 2004)

  Radio in Virginia used the WRVA collection to explore the rise of radio in the Commonwealth. Established in 1925, WRVA was one of the earliest radio stations in Virginia. Listen to sample recordings from the Library's WRVA collection.

• 

  Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster?
  (July 20, 2009—December 5, 2009)

  Who is Edgar Allan Poe? An instantly recognizable American author and historical figure, his name calls to mind spine-chilling stories and melancholy poetry. He evokes the image of the tragic romantic poet, misunderstood and rejected by society. We are so familiar with his life and work that we already know him. Or do we?

Women

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  Working Out Her Destiny: Women's History in Virginia
  (August 2, 2004—March 26, 2005)

  Working Out Her Destiny: Women's History in Virginia, 1600-2004 took a fresh look at the history of Virginia's women and the history of Virginia in the light of twenty years of innovative scholarship since the 1984-1985 Virginia Women's Cultural History Project presented the first ever exhibition and book on Virginia women's history, "'A Share of Honour,' Virginia Women 1600-1945."

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  Queen and Commonwealth
  (Online Exhibition)

  On October 16, 1957, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Virginia during the commonwealth's 350th anniversary celebration of the founding of Jamestown. Then, as now, the Queen's visit prompted intense interest from the state's people and the media. To mark the 2007 royal visit, the Library of Virginia presented photographs, audio, newspaper accounts, and state records from the 1957 events.

Virginiana

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  The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collection of the Library of Virginia
  (September 4, 1997—September 19, 1998)

  This inaugural exhibition at the Library of Virginia's new headquarters on East Broad Street featured a small sampling of the vast collections at the Library. Since its founding in 1823, the Library of Virginia has been dedicated to the collection and preservation of the records of our commonwealth. The Library's collections span nearly 400 years of history and include a diversity of materials unmatched by any other institution in the United States. The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collections of the Library of Virginia, a companion book complete with a history of the Library and illustrating more examples from the collections, is available from the Virginia Shop.

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  Pleasure in the Garden: A Landscape Exhibit at the Library of Virginia
  (December 6, 2000—May 12, 2001)

  Pleasure in the Garden explored Virginia's history of gardening. Vegetable garden, flower garden, orchard, kitchen garden, pleasure garden-Virginians tilled and planted a variety of gardens from the beginning of settlement. Gardens not only provided food but also offered pleasing and colorful vistas as well as places for leisure. At the heart of gardening and landscape design was a desire to impose order on the landscape.