As the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution looms large, the Balch is focusing on the lesser-known stories of the conflict. Those of Black and Indigenous descendants who participated in that extraordinary event.

Schedule

• 9 a.m. Check-in opens
• 9:30 a.m. Welcoming remarks
• 10 a.m. to noon Morning sessions
• Noon to 1:25 p.m. Lunch break
• 1:30 to 3:20 p.m. Afternoon sessions
• 3:30 to 4 p.m. Closing remarks

Session Schedule

SESSION 1: 10 to 10:50 a.m.

The Untold Story of the Forgotten Patriots of the Northern Theater
Presented by Ric Murphy

In "Forgotten Patriots of the Northern Theater," author and historian Ric Murphy highlights the extraordinary contributions of African and Indigenous descended peoples of the northern colonies who served during the American Revolution. Winner of the 2025 Phyllis Wheatley Book Award for Historical Nonfiction, "Forgotten Patriots" draws on years of deep archival research, including pension files, military rolls and firsthand petitions in telling the stories of those who served at places like Saratoga, Valley Forge and Rhode Island.

SESSION 2: 11 to 11:50 a.m.

From Records to Roots: Researching Black Patriots in the Colonial Era
Presented by Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy

Through the compelling case study of Luke Goins/Goings, a free Black from Loudoun County, Virginia, Genealogist General of the Society of First African Families of English America Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy connects archival discoveries to the society's mission of honoring the legacies and descendants of America's earliest African families.

LUNCH: Noon to 1:25 p.m.

Guests are welcome to visit the wonderful restaurants in Historic Leesburg or join us for a brown bag lunch.

SESSION 3: 1:30 to 2:20 p.m.

The Loyal Blacks: Their Arrival, Life, and Journey
Presented by Andrea Davis

In 1783, more than a thousand Black loyalists arrived in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Andrea Davis explains how most settled in Birchtown, just west of Shelburne, becoming the largest community of free Black people anywhere in North America. This session will cover the arrival of the Black loyalists in Nova Scotia, the race riot of 1784, and the subsequent dispersal and ex-migration of much of the community.

SESSION 4: 2:30 to 3:20 p.m.

America 250: Engaging the Public During the Anniversary and Beyond
Moderated by Alicia Cohen

Moderator Alicia Cohen gives space for panelists and guests to reflect upon the day's stories in a discussion that considers how the histories of Black Loyalists and Patriots impact our understanding of the U.S. Revolution.

Speaker Biographies

Ric Murphy

President General of the Society of First African Families of English America

Ric Murphy is an educator, historian, author, documentarian and a leading scholar on America's Forgotten Patriots. He currently serves as the President General of the Society of the First African Families of English America.

His award-winning book, "The Arrival of the First Africans in Virginia," was turned into a documentary with the same name and has won over 30 international film awards, including being selected as Best Director. His first award-winning book, "Freedom Road: An American Family Saga from Jamestown to World," captures his family lineage and history over 14 generations, three continents, 10 international wars, the birth of a nation and 14 patriots of the American Revolution, including eight Americans of African ancestry.

His documented family lineage dates to the earliest colonial periods of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and of Jamestown, Virginia. Mr. Murphy's lineage has been evaluated and accepted by several heredity societies, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, the National Society of the Sons of Colonial New England, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, and the Sons and Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage.

In addition to serving as the President General of the Society of the First African Families of English America, Mr. Murphy is the former National Vice President for History for the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and a former Registrar Society of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage. He received the National Genealogical Society's 2020 Presidential Citation.

Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy

Genealogist General of the Society of First African Families of English America

Michigan native, Virginia resident Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy, aka "familytreegirl," currently serves on the board of the Library of Virginia as well as the board for the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Societies. She is a Coordinator and Instructor at the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) and develops staff and public genealogy educational programs for the Center for Family History at the International African American Museum (IAAM).

Dr. Murphy also serves as the Genealogist General for the Society of the First African Families of English America and is a Trustee for the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH). Dr. Murphy also serves on the Genealogists Council for the 10 Million Names project. She holds membership in AAHGS, NGS, DAR and local genealogy groups.

Andrea Davis

Executive Director of the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre

Andrea Davis is a community builder, a natural leader, a strong communicator and a powerful champion for those whose voices need to be heard. She is Nova Scotian born of Black Loyalist descent, with ancestral ties and relationships within the communities of Birchtown and Shelburne, as well as Black communities throughout Nova Scotia.

Through her work, Ms. Davis upholds the Black Loyalist Heritage Society's commitment to discover, interpret, promote and safeguard the history of Black Loyalists and their descendants, and to advance universal recognition of Black Loyalists as a nascent Canadian heritage community. Her greatest source of inspiration is from her three wonderful children and handsome grandson. Andrea is a descendant of the entries of the Book of Negroes.