By Diane S. Thieke, 2nd VP of Communications

More than 25 members traced the footsteps of the American Revolution on Saturday, December 6, at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. We were very fortunate to have two incredible guides sharing their expertise. 

Front: VPC co-presidents Cora Perkins and Tracy Perkins. Back row: Beth Wiltshire, Harvey Bakari, Ava Jenks, Catherine Venable, Andrea Padilla, Laura Fortunato, Cathy Jett, Julie Campbell, Pam Stallsmith, Diane Thieke, Nancy Wright Beasley, Deana Ricks, Cathy Petrini, Gwen Woolf, and Andrew Talkov 

Andrew Talkov, senior director of Curatorial Affairs at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, and Harvey Bakari, curator of Black History and Culture at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and exhibition co-curator, led our discussion of the “Give Me Liberty” exhibition and in-depth tour. “Give Me Liberty” is the signature exhibition of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission.

VPC’s co-presidents Tracy Perkins and Cora Perkins opened the annual Fall Luncheon, welcoming attendees as well as introducing Andrew and Harvey as keynote speakers.

But the first order of business was to recognize Ava Jenks, this year’s winner of the Virgina Press Women Foundation’s Agnes Cooke Scholarship. The Foundation’s treasurer, Cathy Jett, introduced Ava. She also announced Andrea Padilla and Ashley Falat as winners of student memberships in VPC.

The theme of this year’s luncheon focused on the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Lunch participants each received a Virginia 250 Passport, a new statewide tourism initiative to encourage travelers to experience history together during America’s 250th by visiting 70 historic sites and museums, as well as a promotional fan from the recent launch of “The American Revolution” PBS documentary series by Ken Burns.

Pam Stallsmith, Gwen Woolf, Deana Ricks, Cora Perkins and Tracy Perkins listening to Harvey Bakari.

Over sandwiches and salads, Bakari described how he sought to tell the stories of enslaved African Americans and the roles they played in winning independence for the colonists.

Then it was time to tour the special exhibition, “Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation.” Talkov explained the causes of discontent, including how westward expansion and taxes increased support for independence among Virginia’s leaders.

The tour also included a look at Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment. As Bakari explained, the Earl of Dunmore, the last Royal Governor of Virginia, attracted hundreds of recruits by promising freedom to enslaved people who served.

Harvey Bakari sharing the story of Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment with Sande Snead, Gwen Woolf and Andrea Padilla.

Did you know?

There’s a typo in the Declaration of Independence.

Sande Snead and Laura Fortunato scan the text.

Not surprisingly, this revelation was of much interest to this group of writers and editors. We took turns scrutinizing the exhibition’s incredibly rare copy of the document to find the error.

Talkov explained that the 1833 copperplate engraving of the Declaration of Independence on display was commissioned by then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and took engraver William J. Stone three years to complete. Carefully capturing every detail, including an inserted word – “only” – listed in the grievance in the powerful line: “Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.”

It was fascinating to walk through time and learn about the diverse groups of people who came together to create our democracy.

If you missed the luncheon, it’s worth seeing this special exhibition. “Give Me Liberty” will open at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown on July 1, 2026, during the high point of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.