Fort Monroe Forum

Fort Monroe Authority, in partnership with Christopher Newport University, is proud to present the Fort Monroe Forum. On October 23, 2027, at Fort Monroe, this conference will explore the history and landscape of this unique space, featuring the work of researchers and artists from across the Hampton Roads region. The 565 acres that today encompass the Fort Monroe National Monument are site of an extraordinary story that has been unfolding for centuries. The Kikotan Indigenous occupied Tsenacommacah before the arrival of English colonizers. The first enslaved Africans were brought here to Point Comfort in 1619. Those escaping the institution of slavery sought their freedom at the fort during the Civil War. The fort remained a bastion of national defense until 2011, when it became a national monument. Today, Fort Monroe is reimagining ways to tell its story to the people of Hampton Roads and to visitors from around the world. This day-long conference, the first of its kind, will gather together the best minds from regional universities and local arts community to help bring this story alive. If the opportunity to be a part of this conversation interests you as a scholar or as an artist, check out our Call for Papers or our Call for Art.