Stratford, Virginia – Stratford Hall Historic Preserve hosted another successful First Africans Day event for the public on Saturday, July 25. The annual event serves as a powerful day of reflection, celebration, and remembrance honoring the lives, stories, and contributions of the enslaved Africans and African Americans who shaped the history of Stratford Hall and the broader story of Early America. The Payne Cabin was interpreted by Willie and Hope Wright, who bridged the history of the Payne family’s legacy at Stratford Hall. Members of the Stratford Hall African American descendant community and observers alike joined Cheyney McKnight in tying the names of the enslaved at Stratford Hall to a flower-adorned raft before placing it in the Potomac River. Sponsored by Wells Fargo in 2025 and 2026, First Africans Day is a free public event.