A 300 yr-old Live Oak tree on the campus of Hampton University in Virginia stuns visitors with its strength and beauty. It’s also an enduring symbol of a watershed moment in American history - the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, which freed enslaved people in the rebel states. How could a tree play a role in that momentous event, at least locally? What did emancipation truly mean to African-Americans in 1863? How does the tree still inspire the hearts and imagination of people today? Guests Abra Lee Garden Historian, Writer, Lecturer conquerthesoil.com Director of Horticulture, Oakland Cemetery Atlanta, GA Prof. Robert Watson Assistant Professor of History Hampton University Hampton, VA Tim Nuckols Owner, Nuckols Tree Care Virginia Beach, VA Consulting Editor Josh Abrams Music "Steal Away" - Wallace Willis Arranged by Roland Carter Sung by the Winston-Salem State University Choir Photo Credit Hampton University Theme Music Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com Artwork Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home Website thisoldtree.show Transcripts available. Follow on Facebook or Instagram We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a ~3 or 4 minute audio story for consideration for an upcoming episode of "Tree Story Shorts" on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to: [email protected] This episode was written in part at LitArts RI, a community organization and co-working space that supports Rhode Island's creators. litartsri.org