Living Legacies Exhibit Opens Friday Morning
Curator Gaila Sims, who has worked on this exhibit since her arrival at FAM, said: "I hope that people see the diversity and breadth of African American experience in this area."
By Gail Sims
FAM Vice President Programs & Interpretation
The Fredericksburg Area Museum (FAM) proudly announces the opening of Living Legacies: African American History in the Fredericksburg Area, a landmark exhibition exploring the depth, diversity, and impact of African American life in the region. The exhibition opens to the public on May 30, 2025, during FAM’s community Block Party from 5:00-9:00pm.
Curated by Dr. Gaila Sims, FAM’s Curator of African American History and Vice President for Programs & Interpretation, Living Legacies is the result of over three years of research, storytelling, and community collaboration - work that began on Dr. Sims’ very first day at the museum. Through compelling objects, images, and firsthand narratives, the exhibition uncovers stories that have shaped Fredericksburg and the surrounding counties, many of which are being shared publicly for the first time.
“This exhibition has been in the making since I started at FAM,” said Dr. Sims. “It’s hard for me to even capture how excited I am, but what I hope is that people see the diversity and breadth of African American experience in this area. I want people to be able to make connections between the past and the present.”
The exhibition builds on FAM’s commitment to telling inclusive and honest histories. It follows the city’s 2020 removal of the historic Auction Block and reflects a broader, ongoing effort to address the legacy of enslavement, segregation, and resilience in the region. The stories highlighted in Living Legacies have emerged through museum programs like walking tours and public lectures, as well as new research and community contributions.
The title “Living Legacies” has multiple meanings. First, the family ties that are so important to many Fredericksburg natives. Second, the legacies of enslavement and segregation that continue to impact those who live and work in the Fredericksburg area. And third, the legacies of community, activism, and care that have been passed down through generations in this region, instilling the pride and investment that led to the creation of all recent African American interpretive efforts at the museum and across the city. The exhibition is the result of the legacies of many community members and honors their contributions along with all of those who participated in its development.
Living Legacies features contemporary connections throughout the galleries, embodying the legacies referenced in its title. From local historians and history enthusiasts excavating the past in unique and innovative ways, to entrepreneurs and artists offering exciting contributions to the local economy, to nonprofit leaders providing essential services to support our city’s diverse needs, this exhibition celebrates all of those who are part of the past, present, and future of our shared community.
Living Legacies will remain on view at FAM for three years.
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A wonderful opportunity for learning! Dr. Sims is such an excellent asset to our community.