Jamestown
As Powhatan's daughter, I served as a contact between the English colonists and the native peoples. In this way, I contributed to the survival of Jamestown settlers.
Pocahontas
I served as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. I was later elected as the first president of the United States, and I provided a strong model of leadership for future presidents. "Father of Our Country"
George Washington
I was an abolitionist who wanted to start a slave rebellion. Shortly before the Civil War, I led a raid on the United States Armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Afterward, I was captured and hanged.
John Brown
I was a lawyer and a civil rights leader. I worked hard to try to achieve equal rights for African Americans. I played a key role in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education.
Oliver W. Hill, Sr.
As governor of Virginia, I modernized the state government. I am known for my "pay-as-you-go" policy for road improvements; however, I'm also known for leading the Massive Resistance Movement because I was against the desegregation of public schools.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr.
I served as King of England. As king, I granted charters to the Virginia Company of London to establish a settlement in North America. The Jamestown settlement is named after me.
King James I
I was involved with the writing of the Constitution of the United States of America. I took detailed notes while it was being written and helped delegates reach agreement. "Father of the Constitution"
James Madison
I was General of the Union Army during the Civil War. I captured Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, in 1865. Soon after, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to me at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.
I was an abolitionist and political activist. I'm famous for supporting the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes that enslaved African Americans used to escape slavery.
Harriet Tubman
I was elected governor of Virginia. While I was in office, I promoted racial equality. I appointed more women and African Americans to state government positions than any governor before me.
A. Linwood Holton, Jr.
My people lived in Virginia long before the first settlers came from England. As the chief of many tribes, I provided strong leadership for my people. When the English settlers came to our land, I taught them survival skills. My headquarters were located in Werowocomoco.
Powhatan
I'm probably best known for my famous words, "Give me liberty or give me death!" As a patriot, I was strongly opposed to British taxation without representation. Making speeches allowed me to inspire patriots from other colonies.
Patrick Henry
During the Civil War, I commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. I defeated Union troops at the Battle of Fredericksburg, but later surrendered my army at the Appomattox Court House. This led to the end of the war.
Robert E. Lee
I was the first African American woman in the United States to establish a bank and become a bank president. I also worked to support equal rights for women.
Maggie L. Walker
I wrote the Declaration of Independence, in which I expressed reasons for colonial independence from Great Britain. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." I also wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom because I believe in freedom of worship.
Thomas Jefferson
I was a strong leader in the Jamestown settlement. I began trading relationships with the native peoples, which helped us survive. I also forced the settlers to work by saying, "If you don't work, you don't eat!"
Captain John Smith
I was a French nobleman who volunteered my service to the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. I helped them earn their victory at Yorktown.
Marquis de Lafayette
After I was elected president of the United States in 1860, some southern states seceded from the Union. The Civil War began soon after. During the war, I used the Union navy to blockade southern ports.
Abraham Lincoln
I was enslaved during the first part of my life. I served as a spy in the Continental Army. I fought for my freedom after the war and won it many years later with the support of the Marquis de Lafayette.
James Lafayette
I was an enslaved African American living in Virginia before the Civil War. I'm known for organizing and leading a revolt against slavery.
Nat Turner
I was an explorer. I'm famous for reaching land now known as America; however, I thought I had reached the Indies, so I named the people I met in this new land "Indians." This is why Native Americans are sometimes referred to with the name "Indian."
Christopher Columbus
I was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. I believe that all Virginians have many rights, including freedom of religion and freedom of the press.
George Mason
I served as a general in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. I earned my nickname at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) when I was seen standing strong and still like a stone wall.
General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson
I was a governor of Virginia during the twentieth century. In fact, I was the first African American to be elected a state governor not only in Virginia, but in the United States.
L. Douglas Wilder
I organized a student strike at my high school to protest segregation. I was only sixteen at the time. This event resulted in the court case of Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward.