Emancipation Oak

A historically Black school of higher education, Hampton University, is the home to this giant oak that marks the spot near Fort Monroe - the place where enslaved African Americans escaped to. It measures 98 feet in diameter and was wide enough to shelter Mary Smith Peake, a woman dedicated to teaching the children of freedmen. For people of the modern era this is an emotional journey to keep the story of enslaved people alive.

(Submitted by Elika N)