A Vibrant, But Segregated Community

A Vibrant, But Segregated Community (HM4I7)

Location: Fredericksburg, VA 22401
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Country: United States of America
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N 38° 17.969', W 77° 27.501'

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Inscription
In the aftermath of the Civil War, numerous former slaves came to Fredericksburg where there was already an established free black community. Many freedmen took work as laborers and servants. Others brought artisan skills they had practiced in slavery. The area in front of you and to your right became one of several African-American neighborhoods in Fredericksburg.

The local economy, however, had been devastated by the war and did not provide many opportunities for skilled workers. Available jobs were primarily in mills and factories. Educational opportunities were limited to a segregated school. Still, many African-American small businesses flourished.

These blocks were Fredericksburg's black center of commerce until the 1970s. Restaurants and boarding houses initially appeared among the residences, catering to the local community as well as to travelers. There were also professional offices, retail stores, barber and beauty shops, a grocery store, a funeral homes and two hotels.

(Sidebar) Constructed in 1884, the Fredericksburg Colored School was located to your left, where the fire station now stands.
Details
HM NumberHM4I7
Tags
Placed ByCity of Fredericksburg, Virginia
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014 at 11:33am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 285028 N 4241903
Decimal Degrees38.29948333, -77.45835000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 17.969', W 77° 27.501'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 17' 58.14" N, 77° 27' 30.06" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 600-698 US-17 BUS, Fredericksburg VA 22401, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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