Join Us for Our VA250 Program Series
Fighting for Freedom: The Declaration of Independence & Its Legacy
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, ACHS is launching an 8-part program series entitled “Fighting for Freedom: The Declaration of Independence & Its Legacy.”
Join us January through July for programs that will discuss the many ways Americans have fought for freedom throughout the country’s history, and the importance of continuing to question what Thomas Jefferson’s words of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness mean.
Learn more about the upcoming programs:
- January – Hamilton and Jefferson: Their Future and Our Past – Moderated Discussion with Peter Onuf, Joanne Freeman, and John Ragosta
- February – Enslaved Voices and the American Dream: Where Did They Fight For? – Moderated Panel Discussion with Helice Henderson Jones, Jennifer Saylor Stacy, Ty’Leik Chambers, and Shelley Murphy
- March – Freedom and Liberty in the American Civil War – Lecture with Caroline Janney
- April – The Price We Pay: Tax Policy and the Struggle for Equality in America – Lecture with Andrew Kahrl
- May – Women and the Fight for Inclusion: A Local to National Look – Moderated Panel Discussion with Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Phyllis Leffler, Chloe Fridley, and Catherine Allgor
- June – Roosevelt, Truman and the Fight for Freedom, Abroad and at Home – Lecture with Melvyn P. Leffler
- June – We Demand: Student Activism and the Struggle for Racial Justice at the University of Virginia, 1966-Present – Lecture with Claudrena Harold
- July – Reestablishing Religion: How the Supreme Court Dismantled the Separation of Church and State – Lecture with Micah Schwartzman
The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society is proud to be a Commemorative Partner of VA250—Virginia’s American Revolution 250 Commission. As we mark 250 years of Independence, come reconnect with your country in the place that made it possible. Join us at VA250.org.
June 2026
Fighting for Freedom: The Declaration of Independence & Its Legacy
VA250 Program Series
Roosevelt, Truman and the Fight for Freedom, Abroad and at Home
Thursday, June 4, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. at The Center at Belvedere – Learning Center A, Room 206
Free | Reserve Free Tickets Here
This lecture in the Fighting for Freedom Program Series will focus on why and how Presidents Roosevelt and Truman fought for freedom against the Axis powers during World War II and prepared for another struggle against Soviet communism in its aftermath. Professor Emeritus of American History at the University of Virginia Melvyn P. Leffler will share how the struggle was not simply about the fight for freedom abroad, but also at home.
Then & Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s
Special Exhibit Gallery Tour
Fridays, June 5, June 19, July 3 & July 17 | 12:00 p.m. at Vault Virginia, 300 E Main Street
$10 General Admission/Free for ACHS Members | Reserve Tickets Here
Tour meets at the Vault Virginia first-floor gallery – entrance through the 3rd Street door offers stairs and elevator access.
Take a guided tour of the special exhibition Then & Now: Charlottesville in the 1970s with ACHS Executive Director and exhibit designer Olivia Brown.
This 60-minute gallery tour will feature portraits by Frances Brand that are central to the exhibition and will share unique stories behind the photographs, paintings, and information chosen in the exhibition’s creation. The 1970s were a period of chance in Charlottesville, marked by changing civic leadership, the construction of the Downtown Mall, and strong social activism. Make sure you take the chance to see this exhibit before it’s gone!
Fighting for Freedom: The Declaration of Independence & Its Legacy
VA250 Program Series
We Demand: Student Activism and the Struggle for Racial Justice at the University of Virginia, 1966-Present
Thursday, June 18, 2026 | 6:00 p.m. at The Center at Belvedere – Learning Center A, Room 206
Free | Reserve Free Tickets Here
For the past decade, Claudrena Harold has combined historical research with creative practice to illuminate the beauty, richness, and complexity of Black life and student protest at the University of Virginia.
In this lecture, Harold will examine how student activists have transformed the intellectual, political, and social life of UVA and the broader Charlottesville community through their sustained efforts to define, implement, and defend their visions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her talk will explore several key questions, including: How, and to what extent, has student activism changed since the late 1960s and early 1970s? How have these transformations been shaped by broader political developments in higher education and U.S. race relations? What does the complex political, intellectual, and cultural life at UVA reveal about how race is lived and experiences in 21st-century America? How have current student activists responded to the challenges of a post-DEI landscape and volatile period of leadership transition?
Vision
We are committed to reflecting the fullness of local history to help members of our community become better citizens through an understanding of the past.
Mission
We collect, preserve, and share the history of Albemarle County and Charlottesville, inspiring people to learn from our past.
We collect and preserve: archives, artifacts, research, and stories.
We share through: educational programs, exhibits, digital resources, and publications.
Values
We pursue historical truth.
We seek accuracy without bias or partiality.
We value integrity and transparency in all we do.
