It was a long road getting here—first landing a spot on the City’s workplan way back in 2020, securing federal funding in early 2023, and grinding through years of community meetings, advisory committees, and narrative development. But the project finally broke ground, turning years of planning into a permanent reality.
What the Trail Is All About
This preservation and education project is long overdue. It was designed to honor and interpret the city's rich, complex, and too-often overlooked African American history.
Stretching 2 miles through downtown Williamsburg, the self-guided journey features: Interpretive markers and site plaques at historically significant locations. A comprehensive mobile app complete with audio, videos, and step-by-step experiences to guide the way. A dedicated website to keep the history front and center.
The narrative wasn't rushed; it was built right. Developed by the African American Heritage Trail Advisory Committee alongside the City of Williamsburg and research contractors like JMI and Share More Stories, the project relied on heavy public input, extensive historical records, and direct interviews with members of the Descendant community. The City Council officially signed off on the narrative in December 2024, paving the way for construction.
The Historic First Baptist Church: One of the earliest black churches in the United States, tracing its origins back to a faithful group that began meeting in secret in 1776.
The Sankofa Bird Statue: Located on the campus of William & Mary, honoring history and looking forward by acknowledging the past.
The Lafayette Street Trailhead & Phase 1 Segment: Spanning from Lafayette Street to Scotland Street, this initial stretch serves as the physical gateway to dozens of localized markers that uncover the spaces where Black residents lived, worked, organized, and built community.
How We Got Here
If you followed along from the beginning, you know this victory was years in the making:
2020: The Heritage Trail first hit the City’s Goals, Initiatives, and Outcomes (GIOs) two-year workplan. January 2023: The federal government stepped up with funding for Phase 1—covering the Lafayette Street trailhead construction, a public restroom, and the initial trail segment to Scotland Street.
March 2023: The City hosted in-person and virtual public sessions to gather community input, ensuring the trail tells the full, unvarnished story of the area's racial history.
Late 2023 / 2024: The Advisory Committee brought on historical researchers to dig deep into the archives, unearthing the stories of the people and places that shaped Williamsburg.
The path is mapped out, the funding and groundwork are locked in, and the history is finally getting the permanent recognition it's deserved all along.
