The Secret War Of Willis Hodges

Daniel Sayers is a professor at American University who discovered evidence of a community living deep within the swamp. He tells us about his work. The podcast was made possible by support from Virginia Humanities.

Eric 'Mubita' Sheppard is a descendant of another Black abolitionist who escaped through the Great Dismal Swamp. Sheppard talks to Senior Producer Lisa Godley about the swamp's role in helping enslaved people.

Sandi Brewster-Walker is a descendant of Willis Hodges, and an expert on his life. She tells her story. The podcast was made possible by support from Virginia Humanities.

With our understanding of Hodges' life, the social network, and the terrain of Hampton Roads, we can answer some questions about this secret society. The podcast was made possible by support from Virginia Humanities.

The social network of free Black people is key to the mystery, but so is the terrain of Hampton Roads itself. We journey from the Great Dismal Swamp to the port of Norfolk to discover how people escaped from this area.

The exploration of this network leads WHRO to a church fighting for its survival and to a gravesite of people who died for freedom. (This episode made possible with support from Virginia Humanities.)

On the hunt for this secret network, we talk to people in Hampton Roads who are descended from the community of free Black people who lived side by side with white slave-owners. One of WHRO's senior producers is related to them. (This episode made possible with support from Virginia Humanities.)

We discover an abolitionist from Hampton Roads who was a close associate of John Brown. His name was Willis Hodges, and he was a free Black man living in Virginia before the Civil War. He formed a secret society in this community to help enslaved people escape. Who were the people in this secret group? The search begins. (This episode made possible with support from Virginia Humanities.)

Willis Hodges: abolitionist, author, freedom fighter. This Hampton Roads native and free man of color lived an extraordinary life. Much is still unknown about this untiring advocate of anti-slavery. Uncover the mystery starting November 15. (This program is made by possible by a grant from Virginia Humanities).