A Civil War Refuge

In the 1860s, more than two and a half centuries after the disappearance of the 1587 settlers, a new colony took shape on Roanoke Island for refugees fleeing the bondage of slavery. The island south and west of here became a haven for enslaved men, women, and children who risked their lives on this journey to freedom. Eventually, a formal colony was established and at its peak was home to over 3,500 freed people. Here they established schools, places of worship, and businesses that provided colonists with educational, spiritual, and economic opportunities. In February 1862, Union forces gained control of the island and its property after the Confederate defeat in the Battle of Roanoke Island. This victory, together with the Confiscation Acts of 1861 and 1862, placed enslaved people under the protection of the Union Army, which labeled them contraband to prevent their return to their masters.

Manteo, North Carolina · United States