Re-Enactor of first teacher of black children in Virginia to visit the Shore

Pre-Revolutionary War, Ann Wager shaped young freed and enslaved African American minds at the Williamsburg Bray School, an institution committed to teaching black children reading and writing through the lens of the Anglican tradition. Controversial in its time, Wager and the institution both challenged and strengthened the institution of slavery as it existed in the American colonies and highlighted the complex relationship between slavery, education, and religion in 18th century Virginia.

You can meet Ann Wager and her interpreter, Nicole Brown, at Historic Onancock School March 31st at 6pm. Tickets are $15 and for sale at shorehistory.org/ticketsales.

Ann Wager’s life began in Tidewater, Virginia where she likely discovered her lifelong pursuit of education.  After the death of her husband in 1748, Wager became a well known tutor for many elite white pupils around Williamsburg, quickly garnering a reputation as a fine educator.

In 1760, Ann was awarded the position of school mistress at the Williamsburg Bray School by a group of philanthropists in England called the Bray Society. The school served as a rare opportunity for African American children to receive a formal education. Wager taught between twenty and thirty boys and girls each year, totaling to around 400 children in her fourteen year career with the school. Upon her death in 1774, the school was closed indefinitely.

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Interpreter Nicole Brown has been portraying historic women at the Foundation since 2014. Her liberal arts education from William and Mary has been essential to shaping her method of interpretation. Currently, Brown is finishing her PhD. in William & Mary’s prestigious American Studies Program. She is also the Dr. William M. Kelso Graduate Fellow in Early American Studies.

Brown’s work with Ann Wager enables her to talk about four topics which she believes are essential to understanding Revolutionary America: slavery, education, religion, and women’s history. She has represented Colonial Williamsburg nationally and internationally at the University of Oxford, the International Center for Jefferson Studies, and the National Association for Interpretation. As the Manager of Core Programming at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Brown also specializes in how museums can use interpretation to discuss culturally sensitive topics.

In 2020, the building that housed the Bray School was identified on the campus of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.  The historical structure was moved in 2023 to a new location in Colonial Williamsburg, where it will be restored and reopened to the public as a museum.

The Ann Wager program will be held March 31st at Historic Onancock School, 6 College Avenue. Adult beverages will be available for purchase at the program by donation to Shore History. Questions about the program? Call (757) 787-8012 or email [email protected].

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