Hidden History with Brian Bullock
Research Methods for Uncovering African American Genealogy
Brian Bullock takes a look at research methods for uncovering African American genealogy. Brian chats with Charlottesville filmmaker, Lorenzo Dickerson, about how researcher Sam Towler uncovered new information about his family history and even connected Dickerson with previously unknown relatives.
Virginia's Connection to Eggnog
Food traditions run deep during the holiday season. Ask any family and they’re likely to have recipes passed down through generations connecting them to an ancestral history. One such winter holiday tradition is eggnog. VPM’s Hidden History with Brian Bullock takes a look at Virginia’s connection to modern-day eggnog in a timely holiday special.
Virginia Farm That Was a Jewish Refuge During the Holocaust
What part did the Commonwealth play in the Holocaust? Jewish businessman William B. Thalhimer responded to the growing danger Jewish families experienced in Germany during the 1930s by creating a safe place for Jewish immigrants to build a new life working on a Virginia farm.
Martha Ann Fields
Explore the heroic story of Martha Ann Fields, an enslaved woman forced to be a laborer at Hanover Tavern before she, with six of her children and a grandchild, escaped almost 89 miles to freedom.
The Great Dismal Swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp, just outside of Suffolk Virginia, is full of surprises. Hidden History with Brian Bullock uncovers remarkable stories that lie in the murky waters of the ancient swamp and the way in which those stories are being preserved. The Great Dismal Swamp and the land surrounding it were home to the indigenous Nansemond people. The swamp spanned one million acre, and provided plentiful sustenance for the tribes that lived there. For enslaved Black people, the Great Dismal Swamp provided a means to escape bondage. It became part of the Underground Railroad path to freedom.
Church Hill Train Tunnel Collapse
On October 2, 1925 a train tunnel in Church Hill collapsed onto hundreds of workers. The train and at least two men are still buried under Jefferson Park. Learn about the hidden history of the Church Hill train tunnel collapse.
-
Image used with permission"Hidden History with Brian Bullock" uncovers Virginia's connection to early 20th Century Julius Rosenwald Schools for African American students. -
Image provided by Lorenzo DickersonHidden History with Brian Bullock uncovers new techniques in researching African-American genealogy.
-
VPM's Hidden History with Brian Bullock examines the history of eggnog, recipes included, in an end-of-year holiday special.
-
Hidden History with Brian Bullock uncovers one Virginian's creative and courageous response to the Holocaust.
-
The Branch Libraries/Hidden History with Brian Bullock uncovers the daring escape of enslaved woman Martha Ann Fields and her family from Hanover, VA 89 miles to Fort Monroe.
-
"Hidden History with Brian Bullock" explores the indigenous and Black history of The Great Dismal Swamp and Suffolk, Virginia.
-
VPM is excited to team up with local filmmaker and historian Brian Bullock for a new series called "Hidden History with Brian Bullock." In the premiere episode, Bullock explores the tragic Church Hill tunnel collapse of Oct. 2, 1925.
About
Filmmaker and documentarian Brian Bullock hosts this digital short featuring not-so-well-known Virginia locales and uncovering the remarkable hidden history found there.
From long-buried locomotives to swamps with deep roots in freedom, Brian chats with historians, residents, and even descendants of those who lived through some of the Commonwealth’s most remarkable stories – all while highlighting spectacular settings often passed by with little notice.
Discover Hidden History with Brian Bullock and explore new places with rich history in your own backyard. Presented by VPM.
Brian Bullock began his entertainment career as a SAG/AFTRA/AEA talent agent representing actors for film, television, theatre, voice-over, and print. His roster included actors from the New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Richmond areas and his agenting credits, among others, include films Ladder 49, Shadowboxer, and Minority Report and television programs The Wire and Hack. Brian has written, produced, and directed award winning film projects including the Virginia PBS documentary about college tennis champion Roland McDaniel (Bringing Home the Bacon: The Roland McDaniel Story). He served as Producer on the Smithsonian Channel/Story House Productions documentary, Escape to the Great Dismal Swamp.
Brian continues to stay close to his social services roots by producing documentary films addressing various community issues as well as African-American history awareness films.
Brian earned his BS degree from Virginia Union University and his MA in Producing for Film and Video from American University in Washington, DC.