In Hidden History, the author travels through the forgotten African American cemeteries of central Virginia to recover information crucial to the stories of the black families who lived and worked there for over two hundred years. The subjects of Rainville’s research are the people who are typically underrepresented in historical research but whose stories are essential for a complete understanding of our national past. In this book, she combines historical, anthropological, and archaeological perspectives on gravestones and cemeteries to shed light on family genealogies, the rise and fall of segregation, and attitudes toward religion and death. She concludes with a discussion on how to preserve these sacred sites. Order here.