~ Press release issued by Laurel Ridge Community College
LURAY — The community is invited to a celebration of the legacy of Bethany Veney, a woman who was born into slavery in Page County, at 5 p.m., Thursday, June 15, at Laurel Ridge Community College’s Luray-Page County Center, also known as Jenkins Hall.
Veney’s autobiography, “Aunt Betty’s Story: The Narrative of Bethany Veney, a Slave Woman,” was read by her female descendants and filmed by the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project (SVBHP). The film will be shown Thursday.
Luray-Page County Center Manager Judith Suddith was preparing to teach her English 246 students Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” this past spring, and thought more people should know Veney’s story. She came across the video project the SVBHP had done and contacted one of Veney’s descendants she knew who put her in touch with Robin Lyttle with the SVBHP.
“I think local history’s very important, and I’m hoping that people will embrace local history more and want to learn more about the world around them,” said Suddith.
Veney was born some time between 1812 and 1815, and died on Nov. 16, 1915, said Lyttle, who is involved in grant research for the SVBHP and is its temporary treasurer.
“[Aunt Betty’s Story] is a wonderfully written narrative,” said Lyttle. “Bethany Veney was born enslaved in Page County right in the area where Jenkins Hall is located. She was sold north just before the Civil War. After the war, she came back to Page County and got a lot of her family members and moved them up north outside of Boston.
“She was an amazing woman. Her story was challenging to say the least. She was full of family, faith and love.”
The evils of slavery saw Veney sold away from her first husband, Jerry Frickland, and their daughter. She was able to reunite with her daughter after the Civil War and move her family next door to her near Boston. Veney later married Frank Veney, a free man from Page County. Her husbands’ descendants were among those who read the narrative for the film.
“We had descendants come from all around the country to participate in the reading,” Lyttle said.
The narrative was broken into four videos, each about 13 to 14 minutes long.
“We believe in first person as the best source for history, local history especially,” said Lyttle. “Since there has been very little recording of African-American history from the African-American perspective, it’s really important to study these narratives.”
The Bethel Baptist Choir will provide music during the event, and attendees will have the opportunity to watch the “living memoir” and meet those who created the project. Refreshments will be provided at this free event.
You can learn more and RSVP at laurelridge.edu/Bethany, or call (540) 843-0722.
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