Personally, I think the program is packed full of excellent topics in  
many aspects of Virginia History.  There are several sessions to  
choose from.  Almost too many!  I noticed several that piqued my  
interest.

For my part, the panel on "Material Possessions of Early Virginians"  
at which I will present a case study of Belle Isle Plantation in 1839  
and 1840 (I was in error in giving the year as 1835), will focus on a  
very typical plantation estate and inventory of a well known home and  
family in Virginia's Northern Neck.  Of course this includes a great  
deal of slave history.  How could it not?

But there is still so, so, so much more than that.  Architecture,  
outbuildings, horses, children, grand children, multiple wives,  
relations such as the Ball Family, a very detailed inventory with  
well over 100 books in the library, a room-by -room, building-by- 
building account that really opens up the records to a virtual tour  
of a typical upper-class plantation of that time.

I think the program committee is to be thanked for including so many  
topics and presenters for this year's Forum.  I look forward to  
meeting so many of you in person there.


On Feb 6, 2009, at 10:13 AM, Tarter, Brent (LVA) wrote:

> In reply to Jeff Southmayd, who asks:
>
> "Why is the forum so filled with programs on the history of racism
> (white oppression of Blacks, Indians, etc.) in Virginia and racial
> divisiveness when those issues are no longer relevant to Virginia and
> American society and just throw wood on a fire that has long ago gone
> dormant.? Perhaps one session might be of interest, but those issues
> dominate the meeting.? A few more programs on the positive aspects of
> Virginia history would make the forum more interesting and less like a
> Jesse Jackson/NEA appreciation meeting, in my humble opinion."
>

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