HAMPTON, Virginia — Educational exhibit at Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center commemorates Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Shepard Mallory, who escaped from Confederate forces on May 23, 1861. The display honors these first "contraband" refugees and the thousands who followed, seeking freedom at Fort Monroe during the Civil War.
Photograph by David Coleman. The Fort Monroe Visitor & Education Center's exhibit, housed in the former artillery training library, documents a pivotal moment in Civil War and African American history. The display chronicles how three enslaved men—Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Shepard Mallory—made their daring escape from Confederate lines at Sewell's Point, crossing Hampton Roads under cover of darkness to reach Fort Monroe. Their arrival led to the historic "contraband" decision that established Fort Monroe as a Union sanctuary for freedom seekers. The exhibit emphasizes how these "ordinary men took extraordinary actions," inspiring thousands of other enslaved people to seek refuge at what became known as "Freedom's Fortress." Through interpretive materials and commemorative elements, the installation highlights both the individual courage of these three men and the broader significance of Fort Monroe in the journey from slavery to freedom.
Size: 8256px × 5504px
Location: Fort Monroe National Monument, Fort Monroe, Virginia, United States
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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