Originally from California and the daughter of a sculptor, Ana Edwards has found her niche in Richmond. She works at the American Civil War Museum downtown, but before joining the staff there, she made a name for herself as a radio personality and activist. A native of Los Angeles, she moved to Virginia with fears about just how Gothic the South was. That was thirty years ago. Going from the West to the East Coast has given her a lot to talk about.

Ana discusses her fascination with the South’s people and past–something only intensified by research into her own African American ancestry. In Richmond, Ana has been busy navigating the waters of public history, which has included museum work, broadcasting, and reclamation projects. She also discusses her interest in the 1800 Gabriel revolt in Richmond and how that tells us much about Virginia and its long troubled (and complicated) race relations.
Listen here: http://americanrambler.libsyn.com/episode-119-ana-edwards