Virago Spirits and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture are continuing their Defiant Spirits event series. This latest installment in their partnership will feature the museum’s newest exhibition, Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865, which endeavors to tell the story of the complicated paths to freedom taken by people of African descent in Virginia prior to the Civil War. John Dabney, an individual highlighted in the exhibition, was born enslaved in Hanover County, Virginia in the 1820’s. His story examines one pathway to freedom pursued during this period involving the purchase of freedom, for oneself or a family member, from an enslaver. Dabney successfully worked to purchase the freedom of his wife, who was planned to be sold away from the area, while tending bar, creating famous mint juleps, and cooking in some of Richmond’s most fashionable hotels, even though his own freedom was not secured until the end of the Civil War and Emancipation. This event will explore John Dabney’s life, his legacy as a renowned mixologist and restaurateur, and the ways in which his story allows for a deeper understanding of the lives of Black Virginians, both enslaved and free, in the decades prior to the Civil War. About the event: Attendees will enjoy a lively evening of cocktails, small plates, and access to Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians, 1619-1865 Each of the 4 cocktail recipes will be presented by Virago Spirits co-founder and distiller, Barry Haneberg.