A group of Contrabands at Haxall’s Mill

🧱 A Group of Contrabands at Haxall’s Mill — Richmond, Virginia, 1865 📍 North America » United States » Virginia » Richmond » South Richmond 🗓️ Year: 1865

In the aftermath of the American Civil War, this poignant photograph taken in 1865 shows a group of formerly enslaved African Americans, known at the time as Contrabands, gathered outside Haxall’s Mill in Richmond, Virginia. The term “contraband” was used during the war to describe enslaved people who escaped to Union lines seeking freedom and protection.

Captured just as the war was ending, the image reflects a moment of uncertain transition—between enslavement and freedom, destruction and reconstruction. The ruins of industrial buildings loom in the background, while men, women, and children—many barefoot, some working, others resting—occupy the foreground with quiet strength.

This photograph is more than a document of place; it is a testament to resilience, survival, and the first steps of a community toward a future on their own terms.

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