King William in King William County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
"Racial Integrity" and the Tribes of King William
Photographed by Donald B. Caselli (Barry), April 10, 2026
1. "Racial Integrity" and the Tribes of King William Marker
Inscription.
"Racial Integrity" and the Tribes of King William. . Virginia's "Act to Preserve Racial Integrity," adopted in 1924 to protect White "purity," reinforced centuries of racial discrimination against Indigenous peoples, including the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and Upper Mattaponi of King William Co. State officials used the law to effectively define Virginians as "White" or "Colored," denying most Native people the right to identify as "Indian" on official documents. Referred to as a "paper genocide," this erasure hindered Native tribes' efforts to gain state and federal recognition and led many tribal members to leave VA. The tribes protested these policies and continued to practice cultural traditions. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the act unconstitutional in 1967.
Virginia's "Act to Preserve Racial Integrity," adopted in 1924 to protect White "purity," reinforced centuries of racial discrimination against Indigenous peoples, including the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and Upper Mattaponi of King William Co. State officials used the law to effectively define Virginians as "White" or "Colored," denying most Native people the right to identify as "Indian" on official documents. Referred to as a "paper genocide," this erasure hindered Native tribes' efforts to gain state and federal recognition and led many tribal members to leave VA. The tribes protested these policies and continued to practice cultural traditions. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the act unconstitutional in 1967.
Erected 2025 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number OC 48.)
Location. 37° 41.234′ N, 77° 0.809′ W. Marker is in King William, Virginia, in King William County. It is at the intersection of Courthouse Lane (Virginia Route 1301) and Horse Landing Road ( Route 619), on the left when traveling east on Courthouse Lane. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 227 Horse Landing Road, King William VA 23086, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Photographed by Donald B. Caselli (Barry), April 10, 2026
2. "Racial Integrity" and the Tribes of King William Marker
Photographed by Donald B. Caselli (Barry), April 2, 2026
3. "Racial Integrity" and the Tribes of King William Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2026, by Donald B. Caselli (Barry) of Hopewell, Virginia. This page has been viewed 20 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 3, 2026, by Donald B. Caselli (Barry) of Hopewell, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
