JAMESTOWN – Explore the beginning of representative democracy, the fate of Nathaniel Bacon’s failed rebellion, the lasting impact of slave laws passed in Jamestown’s Statehouse, and enduring treaties signed between Virginia’s colonial government and Indigenous nations.
As we approach this country’s 250th anniversary, according to the Jamestown Rediscovery, there’s no better time to explore where it all began.
With the generous support of The Jamestowne Society, Jamestown Rediscovery is hosting a series of living history programs titled The Unfolding Rebellion. According to Jamestown Rediscovery, these programs will tell the story of the rebellion, in real time, through the experiences of those who were there.
Additionally, Jamestown says they are honored to be a key partner for Reconsidering Bacon’s Rebellion at 350 Years. As part of the year-long series, Jamestown Rediscovery is hosting Dr. Michael Blakey, the preeminent historian of Bacon’s Rebellion and the profound effects the event had on the lives of enslaved and free Black people in colonial Virginia. The lecture with Dr. Blakey is on June 17 at Historic Jamestowne.
Special Events for 2026:
Jamestown: Road to Revolution Lecture Series by Public Historian Mark Summers.
- March 28: First Steps: the Assembly of 1619
- April 25: Road to Rebellion: Jamestown 1625-1675
- May 30: Failed Revolution: Bacon’s Rebellion, 1676
- June 27: Road to Yorktown: Jamestown, 1781
The Unfolding Rebellion, sponsored by The Jamestowne Society.
- April 25 & May 2: Trouble on the Frontier
- May 30 & June 6: Kinsman and Namesake
- June 27 & July 11: The Governor’s Counsel
- August 29 & September 5: Hostages
- October 24 & 31: Civil Unrest
- June 17: Opportunities Lost: Bacon’s Rebellion and the Denial of Class and Racial Justice in the United States, a lecture by Michael Blakey, Ph.D., National Endowment for the Humanities Professor of Anthropology, Africana Studies, and American Studies at William & Mary.
- September 19: The Burning of Jamestown, the 350th Anniversary of Bacon’s Rebellion
Signature Events:
- April 11: Archaeology Opening Day
- May 9: Jamestown Day
- June 13: Lord De La Warr Arrives at Jamestown living history program
- July 4, 11, 18, 25, and Aug 1: Join the Assembly: living history program. Expanded for 2026!
- August 15: First Africans Commemoration
- October 3: Virginia Archaeology Day
- November 7: Native American Heritage Commemoration
- December 12: “At Christmas be Mery”
More information on special events and daily tours can be found at historicjamestowne.org.
