Virginia has unveiled a new sculpture at the African Landing Memorial at Fort Monroe to commemorate the arrival of the first recorded Africans to English North America in 1619. The sculpture, created by artist Brian R. Owens, depicts a family inspired by Antony, Isabella, and Baby William—the first recorded African family and child in the Virginia Colony—along with the broader community of Africans brought to the site aboard the White Lion.
The work is an interpretive representation informed by historical research and consultation, as no known portraits of the family survive. The sculpture also honors Africans whose names remain unknown and the generations that followed.
The unveiling took place during the National Ceremony of Remembrance and Renewal, part of African Landing Commemoration Week—an annual observance at Fort Monroe centered on remembrance, history, culture, and community. Governor Abigail Spanberger attended alongside members of her Cabinet and state and local leaders. The ceremony also served as a signature event of Virginia's commemoration of the nation's 250th anniversary.
The site holds additional historical significance: more than two centuries after the 1619 landing, Fort Monroe became the location of the 1861 Contraband Decision, when three enslaved men—Frank Baker, James Townsend, and Sheppard Mallory—sought refuge at the Union-held fort, an event that proved to be an important turning point toward emancipation.