Manumission

In 1782, the Virginia General Assembly allowed the voluntary manumission, or freeing of slaves. Subsequently, there were slave owners of all classes, religions, and locations throughout Virginia who freed their slaves. These acts of manumission shaped the stories of individuals and entire families throughout the state.

From humble landowners to America’s Founding Fathers, Virginians emancipated thousands of their slaves. The motivation of each slaveholder to free their slaves varied from individual to individual. Many of these manumission records—also appropriately known as “freedom documents”—give some indication as to their thoughts, beliefs, and intentions. A large number of these slaves were freed due to Christian slave masters, who, keenly aware of their own freedom in Christ, could not abide the slavery of others. Providentially, this was the case for the Lynch family (founders of the city of Lynchburg, home of Liberty University).