Funeral homes, headstone carvers and cemeteries are industries that rely on one simple but enduring fact: people die. Although perhaps morbid, these businesses play an important role in communities as creators and perpetuators of the culture around death and memorial.
Join us for a virtual panel discussion about the history of death industries, the records these entities leave behind and what we can learn about markets, beautification and power by exploring these records. Panelists include Andréa Livi Smith, Ph.D., professor of historic preservation at the University of Mary Washington; Kelly M. Brennan, Ph.D., senior historian for Colonial Williamsburg; and Paige Newman, manager of library cataloging and curator of library collections at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.
The is a free event, but registration is required. For more information, contact Mary Ann Mason at maryann.mason@lva.virginia.gov or 804-692-3648.
Programming assistance is provided by the Friends of the Virginia State Archives, a 501(c)(3) organization. Visit them at friendsvirginiaarchives.org.
Learn more about 2026 Archives Month programming at www.lva.virginia.gov/events/vam/2026.