Across the nation, communities are celebrating the Fourth of July while commemorating America250—the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States. Throughout Virginia, museums, historic sites, and communities are coming together to honor our shared history and reflect on the enduring ideals that continue to shape our nation.
As a proud VA250 Commemorative Partner, the Robert Russa Moton Museum is honored to help tell that story.
This year carries special meaning at Moton. As America commemorates its 250th anniversary, we are also marking 75 years since Barbara Rose Johns inspired the 1951 Moton Student Strike and 25 years as a museum. What began with the courage and conviction of students in Farmville became one of the five cases that led to Brown v. Board of Education, forever changing the course of American history. Those milestones remind us that the American story continues to unfold with every generation—and that young people have always had the power to shape our nation’s future.
Looking for a cool place to spend part of your holiday? Step inside, escape the summer heat, and experience the place where students helped change the course of American history. At Moton, Virginia’s only civil rights museum, visitors can explore a story of courage, citizenship, and civic action that continues to inspire generations.
We’re open today from 12:00–4:00 PM. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.
Today’s Fourth of July Programs
Children of Courage: Public Staged Readings
Robert Russa Moton Museum
900 Griffin Boulevard
Farmville, VA 23901
Doors open at 3:00 PM
Be among the first to experience Children of Courage, a new stage play currently in development by acclaimed playwright Harrison David Rivers. Inspired by the 1951 Moton Student Strike, these public staged readings offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience the creative process, bringing the voices, courage, and conviction of the Moton students to life as the work continues to evolve.
“What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
901 Amherst Street
Winchester, VA 22601
11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Members of Team Moton will participate in this special Fourth of July program exploring Frederick Douglass’s timeless address and its enduring relevance today.
Today’s America250 commemorations span the Commonwealth—from public readings of the Declaration of Independence and patriotic celebrations in Colonial Williamsburg to naturalization ceremonies at Monticello welcoming our nation’s newest citizens. At Moton, we’re honored to preserve and share a defining chapter of the American story. Here, the courage of Barbara Rose Johns and her classmates continues to inspire each new generation to believe that their voices matter.
However you’re celebrating today, we wish you a safe, meaningful Fourth of July and hope you’ll spend part of it with us.