Sail250 Virginia continues its lecture series with programs that look at how critical Virginia’s waterways were to the shaping of America's story.
The talks will be at The Slover library in downtown Norfolk; the events are free, but reservations are required because of limited seating.
Underground Railroad panel discussion with Cassandra Newby-Alexander, Thursday, Jan. 8, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Newby-Alexander, endowed professor of Virginia Black History and Culture at Norfolk State University, will be joined by Cheryl LaRoche, associate research professor in Historic Preservation at the University of Maryland and Timothy Walker, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. They will examine how Virginia's waterways, such as the Elizabeth River, served as critical pathways on the Underground Railroad, providing freedom for enslaved people seeking liberation.
Visit sail250virginia.com/rsvp/UndergroundRailroad to register.
An Evening with Ian Toll, Apr. 14, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Renowned nautical historian and bestselling author Ian Toll will discuss the importance of the Navy in World War II and the role of Naval Station Norfolk in the war effort.
Toll is best known for his Pacific War trilogy and "Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy," which won the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature. His trilogy — "Pacific Crucible," "The Conquering Tide" and "Twilight of the Gods" — includes two New York Times bestsellers.
Visit sail250virginia.com/rsvp/iantoll to register.