Hosted by the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in partnership with the Virginia Council of Churches, this summit explored the faith journey of Africans and African Americans over 400 years beginning in 1619 when the first Africans were brought to the Virginia colony. Planning efforts for the program were led by Reverend Jonathan Barton, former general minister for the Virginia Council of Churches; Dr. Lauranett Lee, visiting lecturer for Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond; and Dr. Corey D. B. Walker, author and visiting professor of arts and sciences at the University of Richmond.
The conference offered a distinctive way of thinking about Virginia history. Renowned theological scholars and historians presented papers and discussed the religious context of Virginia in 1619, its impact on people of color, and the evolution of a religious and culturally diverse United States in the 21st century.