Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's Contraband Decision

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler and three brave souls, James Townsend, Shepard Mallory, and Frank Baker

We gather to commemorate those whom liberation was won, not just for us, but by us. Our story is not about the institution of bondage, but of our ancestor’s resilience, fortitude, and vision for a better future.

On the night of May 23, 1861 less than 24 hours after Virginia ratified its ordinance of secession, Frank Baker, Shepard Mallory, and James Townsend, determined to cast off their bonds of enslavement, crossed under the cover of night to Fortress Monroe, which was still flying the flag of the United States. The proclamation originated at Fort Monroe and rippled across the war-torn landscape: Escaped formerly enslaved men and women will no longer be returned by the Union Army to their owners as mandated by the "Fugitive Slave Act" and instead will be confiscated as "Contraband" of war.

Union Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's decision — made on May 24, 1861, at Old Point Comfort — changed the landscape of the Civil War and put pressure on President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Beginning the first steps toward liberty!

The Contraband Historical Society was founded in 1994 by Gerri L. Hollins along with co-founders Mrs. Elnora Welbeck and others.  Ms. Hollins, a Contraband descendant herself, quickly emerged as the soul of the organization and worked tirelessly until her death in 2012 to bring this often ignored history to the public’s attention. Her mission was to Elevate, Educate, and Celebrate our history and our heritage.

CHS FOUNDER: THE LATE GERRI HOLLINS

Gerri Hollins, (May 15, 1947-July 19, 2012) a lifelong singer and educator of Hampton Roads' contraband slave history. "Some people don't realize the history that's here," Ms. Hollins told the Daily Press in February 2004. "Descendants of these contraband slaves created a moral, spiritual and economically viable community for blacks, and the houses that many people live in once belonged to the contraband."

The Grand Contraband Camp Makes It On Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places List 2024

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Grand Contraband Camp – City of Hampton Established in 1861 following the Union Army's occupation of Fort Monroe, the Grand Contraband Camp in Hampton Roads provided a sanctuary for thousands of enslaved individuals seeking refuge behind Union lines. Cemeteries associated with the site are being encroached upon by Interstate 64 expansions, resulting in an inability for descendants and researchers to reach and identify some of the older gravesites. Overgrowth in these regions has led to some graves being lost entirely. The Contraband Historical Society, the Fort Monroe Authority and their partners are initiating a long-term project that will utilize current technologies to identify and archive unmarked or neglected gravesites.

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The Contraband Historical Society is an organization of concerned citizens, whose mission is to research, preserve, and promote the history, legacy, and contributions of the formerly enslaved, who were considered “Contraband" of war.”