REVOLUTIONARY ROLE OF BLACKS ON DISPLAY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 26, 1992                   TAG: 9201260265
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: D7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: YORKTOWN                                LENGTH: Short
REVOLUTIONARY ROLE OF BLACKS ON DISPLAY
Though unfamiliar to most Americans, William Flora, Agrippa Hull, James Armistead Lafayette and Peter Salem occupy a place of honor in the country's history. They are among an estimated 5,000 blacks who were patriot soldiers during the American Revolution, and thousands more who aided the patriot cause.
The impact of the American Revolution upon the half-million blacks who lived in the 13 rebellious colonies, and their part in the conflict, will be examined in a permanent addition to the Yorktown Victory Center's "Witnesses to Revolution" gallery. The section will open Feb. 1 in conjunction with Black History Month.
The new exhibit section will be illustrated with period graphics and artifacts, including objects on loan from sites at Mount Vernon and Williamsburg where slaves lived and worked, and documents relating to black participation in the revolution.
At the time of the revolution, most blacks living in the United States were slaves. Those who were able to choose sides usually did so on the basis of which side promised freedom or an improvement in status.
The Yorktown Victory Center is located 12 miles from Williamsburg. The museum chronicles America's struggle for independence through a combination of timeline, thematic exhibits and outdoor living history. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5.75 for adults, and $2.75 for children ages 6 through 12. For further information, call 804-253-4838.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB