The greater Williamsburg African American community lost an ally, friend and colleague when historian Linda Hunter Rowe died in a boating accident Oct. 23 on the Chickahominy River. She was 75.

Rowe, who retired in 2017 after 50 years with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as a historian and senior researcher, spent much of her career focusing on the importance of the history of Black people — enslaved and free — in the story of colonial, 19th century and 20th century Williamsburg.

"Linda is irreplaceable," explained Connie Matthews Harshaw, president of the Let Freedom Ring Foundation, First Baptist Church of Williamsburg. "She was passionate about the African American religious experience here in Williamsburg."

"She has done the lion's share of the research about the First Baptist Church. … I've been embarrassed that she (knew) more about my church than I did."

"Linda researched and shared history of the Black community when it was not popular to do so," explained Dr. Rex M. Ellis, former Colonial Williamsburg vice present and the recently retired associate director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

"She studied the First Baptist Church (whose history dates to 1776) and other Black subjects before Colonial Williamsburg saw their significance. She was one of the researchers I could always depend upon, conveying information about the Black community, especially related to education and religion."

Rowe was not someone "who would say (Black history research) was a fad — that would come and go. For her, it was always part of her research. She was so ladylike, respectful, genuine, knowledgeable in working with Blacks and she wanted to help preserve the best of history that she could about the Black community," Ellis added.

Rowe and Ellis worked together researching Black history in the early 1980s when, as a character actor in the streets, he portrayed an 18th century slave and the area's first Black minister. "I was aggressive in my approach to research," Ellis admitted, "but her quiet, studied demeanor, simply helped her and was the right match (with me) at the right time."

Cary Carson, retired vice president for research for Colonial Williamsburg, under whom Rowe worked for many years, recalled "she was always forthcoming and infinitely generous" with her research. She will be remembered, he said, "for being very good, very through and very conscientious. Linda worked so well with people."

Rowe's seminal work, "African Americans in Williamsburg, 1865-1945," was a major chapter in "Williamsburg, Virginia: A City Before the State," published in 2000 for the city's 300th anniversary commemoration.

Born on Feb. 27, 1945, the daughter of G. Nathan Hunter Jr. and Eloise P. Hunter, she was a native of Columbus, Georgia. Rowe received her B.A. in English literature in 1967 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and immediately joined Colonial Williamsburg just a month or two after graduation. While employed at the foundation in 1983 she received an M.A. in American studies from the College of William & Mary.

She married Virgil E. Rowe of Williamsburg in 1970 and they were together for 33 years until his death in 2003. They were members of Bruton Parish Church, where she maintained a membership until her death.

Among her significant research projects were the history of Mount Ararat Baptist Church, First Baptist Church and Bruton Parish Church, where she most recently was helping to update a new edition of the Bruton graveyard book.

Above article written by By WILFORD KALE and published in the VIRGINIA GAZETTE NOV 03, 2020.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 5 from 5:30-7:30 PM at Bruton Parish Church.  A funeral service will be conducted at 1 PM Friday at the church with interment to follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery.