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Church became a strong symbol in the African American community after the Civil War. To African Americans, the church was a place where they were in control and free of oppression. One of the first African American churches to be built and organized…

The picture on the left is an image of the original building for the First Baptist Church on its present location one block west of the courthouse. This is not the building that the trustees purchased in 1866. The picture on the right is an image of…

For many African Americans, daily life after slavery was not much different than life in bondage. There was still a struggle for survival for many African American families. Most of the residents of Louisa County lived on farms and until Rural…

This document is a sharecropping contract between Richard Kennon and Samuel Brown. The agreement specifies that Brown is to repair a house located on Kennon’s land. He must also cultivate the land around the house. Brown’s work must be complete…

These images are copies of original labor contracts from Louisa County after the Civil War. Notice the stamps on each document showing it was approved by the Freedmen's Bureau office at Louisa Courthouse.

Contracts are between Henry Taylor and the…

This document is a contract between William B. Cocke and “his former servants.” The agreement specifies that his servants are to “bind themselves to go on to work on the farm and to do and attend to all the business…faithfully and…