This year, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture explores how generations of newcomers have contributed to Virginia’s culture, economy, and identity. Virginia and the United States have long offered opportunities to build new beginnings through work, education, and community support, reflecting the Revolutionary promise of an exceptional nation where individuals could succeed by merit. We The People: The World in Our Commonwealth highlights the many people who, over centuries, have made Virginia the unique place it is in the United States and in the world.
Migration defines Virginia. Before colonization, seasonal migration was a fundamental part of Indigenous life, and Virginia Indians were soon forced to adapt to displacement. Colonists arrived seeking opportunity and dominion, while Africans were forcibly transported into bondage. Later waves of immigration from around the world reshaped Virginia’s culture, economy, and political life. As new communities took root, debates sparked about what it meant to be “American,” how belonging should be defined, and who should have access to rights, resources, and representation. These conversations continue as Virginians today welcome refugees, support new diasporic communities, and confront legacies of exclusion. But migrations within and out of Virginia have also been transformative: from westward expansion, industrialization, and the Great Migration, to shifting labor markets, transportation networks, and cultural landscapes. Movement, both voluntary and involuntary, has been a constant force for change.
In 2026, the VMHC will host the return of the Conrad M. Hall Symposium for Virginia History, a one-day event in which historians, practitioners, and the public gather to explore our shared past. Featuring panels and presentations that highlight groundbreaking work on migration in Virginia history, tailored gallery tours that illuminate the journeys of those who shaped the Commonwealth, and a special keynote lecture, the symposium bridges past and present to inspire future generations.
The VMHC welcomes presentations and panels from public and academic historians alike that address the theme of “migration” in Virginia history.
The deadline for presentation submissions is Friday, March 6, 2026. Decisions will be communicated in April 2026. Please direct any questions to symposium@virginiahistory.org. For all submissions, please provide a presentation title, a 250-word abstract, and a biographical paragraph or CV (no more than 250 words) in a single PDF/Word document and upload it here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=CG79hqYix02kya5eGoK54wmdCAQwaVRAkr3PWnVBCtBUMVdDUk5SWVNUVUlQTEUwWUtaSVdPVUxYVC4u&route=shorturl