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Cardinal News has launched a three-year project to spotlight Virginia’s overlooked contributions to America’s march to independence ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial. “Cardinal News 250: Virginia’s Stories. A Nation’s Birth” began in November 2023 and runs through 2026. The series features monthly articles that delve into the people, places and events that helped shape the nation, sharing stories often absent from classroom history books.
Want to explore more? Check out our podcast as well as our collection of Cardinal News 250 stories below and join us in rediscovering Virginia’s rich history.
Cardinal News 250 Podcast
Dive deeper into history with our podcast, hosted by Dutchie Jessee, where historians, journalists and others bring these stories to life. Find it wherever you get your podcasts, and catch the latest episodes in our monthly newsletter.
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Cardinal news 250 story collection
Norfolk was burned, the only American city destroyed during the revolution; 250 years later, controversy remains over who ordered its destruction
The conflagration was a decisive propaganda victory for the Patriots, but there’s evidence, suppressed at the time, that they actually ordered the burning.
Podcast about the burning of Norfolk
Cardinal talks with author Andrew Lawler, who has researched the destruction of the port city.
Dispatch from 1775: After a one-sided battle at Great Bridge, Virginians force the royal governor to flee into the harbor
Meanwhile, to the north, other Patriots are busy liberating Quebec. Our rudimentary forces appear to have the Redcoats on the run.
250 years ago today, Virginians went to war against their governor (and won)
The Battle of Great Bridge in modern-day Chesapeake was the first significant land battle of the American Revolution in Virginia. It was also significant because it featured multi-racial armies on both sides.
Water’s role in revolutionary history
The Battle of Great Bridge happened 250 years ago today because its location played a key role in the transportation networks of 1775.
Long before Abraham Lincoln, Virginia’s last royal governor issued his own Emancipation Proclamation. Here’s what happened next.
In a bid to quell the growing revolution, Virginia’s royal governor tried a new strategy. He issued an emancipation proclamation to free slaves if they joined the British.
Podcast on Lord Dunmore’s Emancipation Proclamation
Historian Andrew Lawler talks with Cardinal 250 podcast host Lisa Rowan.
A frontier doctor had a plan to seize Pittsburgh for Virginia and led an Augusta County militia to arrest Pennsylvania officials.
While much of Virginia was angry with Britain, John Connolly was busy using force against Pennsylvania’s land claims. When war came, he sided with the British and wound up in custody.
Dispatch from 1775: War comes to Virginia
Our royal governor also issues an extraordinary proclamation to offer freedom to slaves if they fight with the British.
Historian says key events in Virginia early in the revolution have not gotten the attention they deserve, so he organized an event to address them
Nearly 250 years after Norfolk burned to the ground during the Revolutionary War — the only North American city destroyed at such scale — scholars, historical interpreters and enthusiasts of colonial America gathered in the port city to reflect on the significant role that eastern Virginia played in shaping both the course of the war…
Documentary reveals roots of revolution in Southwest Virginia
“Resolved to Live and Die” premieres Sunday on Blue Ridge PBS. The first showing is Tuesday night at the O. Winston Link Museum in Roanoke.
The revolution’s first battle outside Northeast was in Virginia. It started with a dispute over a runaway slave.
The Battle of Hampton was small as battles go, but it involved big issues, such as the status of enslaved workers in Virginia.
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The project is made possible in part by funding from the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission.
Learn more about this multi-year series of events
Established by the General Assembly in 2020, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) serves to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Learn more about their other projects.
Contribute to Cardinal 250
Share a tip: Is there an untold story of the revolution we should cover?
Share memorabilia: Do you have artifacts from this period that you wish to share? Send photos to us at news@cardinalnews.org.