By Venita Benitez
Nationwide -- A Royal Decree. It all started with a bold move by King James I on April 10, 1606. He gave a group of ambitious investors — known as the Virginia Company of London — a special charter, the First Virginia Charter, granting them the right to establish settlements in North America.
On December 20, 1606, three ships — the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery—embarked on a journey that would change history. The men aboard weren’t just travelers; they were adventurers, chasing the promise of a new world. The weight of the mission was recorded in key historical accounts of the Jamestown expedition. Their mission?! To explore, colonize, and hopefully strike gold in the process. But let’s be real, it was anything but smooth sailing.
Fast-forward a little, and their dream became reality. Imagine stepping onto the shores of a totally new world after weeks of uncertainty at sea. That’s exactly what happened on April 26, 1607, when a group of English settlers finally touched land in Virginia. They spent some time scoping out the area, searching for the perfect spot to call home. Then, on May 13, 1607, they settled on a site along the James River — what is now present-day Virginia. The next day, they officially founded and established Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America, on May 14, 1607.
"A Royal Decree" There’s a
Deeper Truth to America’s Storytelling
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Harsh conditions and a whole lot of trial-and-error shaped Jamestown’s survival. Yet, beyond what’s written in textbooks and in documentaries, there’s a deeper truth — one that deserves to be remembered, spoken, and understood. History isn’t just about what happened, it’s about who was impacted and whose stories still need to be told. The struggles, the sacrifices, the voices often left out—make it harder to truly connect with our American roots.
Moving forward, four centuries later, it’s the 400th Anniversary of its granting of the First Virginia Charter. On April 10, 2006, London, England, held a special ceremony to symbolically “re-sign” that old charter, marking the end of its official role. By then, Jamestown was no longer just an English colony — it was part of a fully independent United States, shaped by centuries of change. Pretty wild to think how much history traces back to one decision in 1606, isn’t it? And I live to bring energy to moments that deserve to be remembered.
On April 10, 2006, I stood in London, England, watching history unfold before my eyes. It wasn’t just an anniversary—it was the 400th year since King James I signed the First Virginia Charter, the document that set the foundation for English settlement in the New World. Now, I’m standing here, watching history get rewritten — this re-signing isn’t just a ceremony, it’s a reminder that its impact never really faded. It’s still shaping the way we see our past, the way we tell our stories, and the way we understand where we come from.
The room carried the weight of the past. Stories whispered through time, woven into the fabric of the New World Tapestry.
I wasn’t just a guest at this historic event—I was connected to it in a way that made every moment felt personal. My ancestor, Edward Maria Wingfield, wasn’t just there when history was being made — he helped shape it. As the first President of the Jamestown Virginia Governor’s Council, he was a financial backer, Incorporator, and Official Adventurer of the Virginia Company of London.
And then there was Bartholomew Gosnold, Captain of the Godspeed—another family member, another key figure. He not only sailed to the New World; he scouted the land, made the critical choice of where the settlement would be, and laid the foundation for what would become Jamestown, a Colony named in honor of King James I.
History isn’t just dates and documents—it’s real people, real choices, real legacies. As I stood there in London on April 10, 2006, witnessing the 400th Anniversary of this moment, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of it all.
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| Award Winning Activist & National Freedom Day Curator Venita Benitez |
As I stood among the grand displays of the event, one piece caught my eye—the New World Tapestry. Tom Mor was the designer of the New World Tapestry, depicting different phases of exploration and settlement. A massive, embroidered artwork, its 24 panels told the story of English colonization from 1583 to 1642. Prince Charles wasn’t the only royal to contribute stitches to the New World Tapestry. Other members of the British royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and the Queen Mother, also added stitches to the tapestry.
At first, I admired the craftsmanship, the sheer detail woven into its fabric. But then, something shifted. History isn’t just about dates and events; it’s about perspective, and in that moment, I felt the weight of how representation can either acknowledge painful truths or blur them.
One panel stopped me in my tracks—the panel depiction of the First Enslaved Africans arriving in 1619 at Jamestown on 31 August rather than the actual landing site at Old Point Comfort present-day Fort Monroe near Hampton, Virginia and their actual landing date on August 25, 1619, where historical records indicate their actual landing. The image shows children and individuals with chains around their necks, alongside a man holding up a money bag held aloft, symbolizing their sale and trade. It is a haunting depiction of their forced arrival and the brutal reality of the transatlantic slave trade.
Seeing it framed as part of the broader colonial narrative felt unsettling, even sad. It inaccurately represents the Dutch selling the first African slaves to colonists at Jamestown. “First Seeds of Future Civil War are Sown” is highlighted. It made me question how history is portrayed—who shapes these stories, and how they influence the way we see the past.
This artistic choice alters the way the story is framed — shifting the narrative in a way that may blur the reality of that pivotal moment in 1619. The landing of these first enslaved Africans in English America was a defining event, shaping the future of the colony and laying the foundations for a colony’s survival. The way history is presented, what gets emphasized, and what gets adjusted—matters. Every stitch in that tapestry tells a story, but we must ask: Whose story? And who decides how it’s told?
I still feel a sense of unease. It was more than just one particular panel—depicting the landing of enslaved Africans in 1619 that struck me as deeply unsettling, as well as the portrayal of the Powhatan Indian peoples and the colonist. I find myself questioning the ways in which history is represented and the impact such portrayals can have on viewers.
The first Virginia Charter, the Virginia Company of London, originally signed in 1606, laid the groundwork for the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Its importance cannot be overstated, as it marked the beginning of English colonization in the New World, today’s United States, and provided a framework for governance and exploration.
The New World Tapestry captures many key moments. While it celebrates the determination and ingenuity of early settlers, it also portrays moments of profound human suffering and human trafficking.
Yet, it starkly contrasts with the vital role these individuals played in shaping the colony’s survival and development. Many enslaved Africans brought agricultural expertise and resilience that contributed significantly to the colony’s economy, yet their contributions are often overshadowed by the narrative of exploitation.
For me, the tapestry’s imagery highlighted the tension between preserving history and addressing its complexities. While it is important to acknowledge and learn from the past, the way history is presented can shape public perception in profound ways. The panel depicting the arrival of the first enslaved Africans at Jamestown stirred feelings of discomfort. Instead of offering a nuanced portrayal of their forced contributions and humanity, it seemed to focus on their oppression and economic value alone.
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| Venita Benitez Reflects On Her Legacy |
As a descendant of Edward Maria Wingfield and Bartholomew Gosnold, I felt a unique responsibility to reflect on this legacy. My connection to these figures reminded me of the role individuals played in shaping history, for better or worse.
The New World Tapestry is more than just an artwork—it is a conversation starter. It challenges us to think about how we represent history and what we choose to celebrate. While some, like Tom Mor, one of the tapestry’s creators, defend it as a historical artifact, I see it as a reminder of the need for greater sensitivity and inclusion in storytelling.
Museums and institutions face a delicate balancing act when dealing with controversial pieces like this. Should such works be displayed with additional context to foster understanding? Should they be reinterpreted to reflect more diverse perspectives? Or should they remain down in a basement in storage, as the New World Tapestry currently does, to avoid causing harm? It should be examined how and why the New World Tapestry sits in storage in the first place, as I already have, and it’s powerful.
My experience at the 2006 event and my encounter with the New World Tapestry left me with more questions than answers. But it also reinforced the importance of reckoning with history in all its complexity. By acknowledging both the achievements and the injustices of the past, we can create a more inclusive and empathetic understanding of our shared heritage.
Venita Benitez is the president of National Freedom Day,
a 501(c)3 non-profit organization NationalFreedomday.org. She is also Vice President of the Board for Project 1619, Project1619.org
nZinga Austin is also the Co-publisher of Our Black News Scoop and Southeast Queens Scoop. The documentary of about 1/2 hr long is getting rave reviews.
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