Each year on October 19, Yorktown Day commemorates the surrender of General Cornwallis’ British and German troops at Yorktown to General Washington’s Allied American and French troops in 1781 and recognize the sacrifices of those who fought to win American independence.

Have you ever had a tummy ache or the sniffles? Who’s the first person you go to when you do? Dr. Mom was the go-to person for help in the 18th century too! Join us to learn about 18th-century remedies for colonial ailments and find out what resources a farmer had on hand to cure you of headaches, indigestion or other unpleasantness.

18th-century baskets came in all shapes and sizes and were used for a variety of everyday chores on a colonial farm during the time of the American Revolution. Ever wonder how these beautiful baskets were made? Join our basket maker on the farm to learn the first steps in acquiring and preparing materials and getting started with weaving a basket.

What determines the shape and size of an 18th-century basket? How does it take shape and expand? How will the basket maker finish the basket? Join us as we continue to learn about the techniques and skills required to weave an 18th-century basket.

Did you know that African Americans played important roles in the American Revolution? During the war, free and enslaved African Americans had difficult choices to make, and served in both the British and Continental armies. Join special exhibitions curator Kate Gruber at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown to learn about African Americans in the American Revolution.

African Americans played many different roles during the American Revolution. Some even acted as spies! Join special exhibitions curator Kate Gruber to learn more about the experiences of James Lafayette, an enslaved Virginian who worked as a spy for the Marquis de Lafayette on the eve of the Siege of Yorktown.

What happened to enslaved and free African Americans after the American Revolution? Well, it depends! During this segment, special exhibitions curator Kate Gruber will explore stories of African Americans who left the United States with the British, and those who stayed in the newly-formed nation.

What did an enslaved family eat? Learn about the foods they would have grown and prepared for their own families. We will visit a garden and learn about the origins of some of an enslaved family’s food and how it was grown and prepared.

Learn how a flax plant becomes spinnable fiber. We will discover what a flax break, scutching board, and hackle are and how they are important in the process of turning a plant into fabric.