Upcoming Events
The Day is Past & Gone: A Trilogy of Slave Life at Poplar Forest
May 19, 2018 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
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The Day is Past & Gone: A Trilogy of Slave Life at Poplar Forest
May 19, 2018 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Local African American playwright Teresa Harris’ original trilogy about slave life at Poplar Forest returns to Mr. Jefferson’s retreat home with new stories—for one performance only.
Drawn from real-life experiences, the trilogy explores the complex lives lived by the enslaved men and women of Poplar Forest including Hannah and her son Billy, who pushed back on the system of enslavement; Nace Hubbard, who had to some degree, learned how to make the system of slavery work more favorably for him, but faced opposition from his fellow slaves; and Phil Hubbard, who appealed directly to Thomas Jefferson in his struggle to maintain his rights to live under the same roof as his wife.
A Q & A with the playwright, actors and representatives of the Poplar Forest Department of Archaeology and Landscapes will follow the last vignette.
Bring your friends and family—and a picnic dinner and a blanket or chairs—and experience a part of Poplar Forest’s history brought to life.
The show will be performed as scheduled, rain or shine. In the event of rain, the performance will be held in our Hands-on-History Pavilion located on site.
An American Evolution Event
The Day is Past and Gone is supported by American Evolution™, 2019 Commemoration. American Evolution marks the 400th anniversary of several key historical events that occurred in Virginia in 1619 that continue to influence America today, including the arrival of the first recorded Africans to English North America. Featured events, programs and legacy projects inspire local, national and international engagement in the themes of democracy, diversity and opportunity.
With The Day is Past and Gone, Poplar Forest provides a unique perspective on the American Evolution within the context of Thomas Jefferson and the men and women he enslaved at his retreat home and plantation. These stories relate to the larger narratives of democracy and diversity that began in 1619—and continue to impact us today.
This fall we will further explore this compelling theme with a presentation of Fire Bell in the Night, a dynamic new tour of Poplar Forest, on Saturday, September 29. Stay tuned for details!