For four decades, a man has been rewriting Black history, aiming to reveal how and where the first Africans arrived in the British Colonies, all sparked by an anonymous tip.

Ah, the riveting saga of historical revelations, where we learn that the first Africans to grace the British Colonies weren’t just hapless newcomers but skilled artisans, ready to revolutionize the Americas. How could we have possibly survived without this groundbreaking insight into their expertise in iron production and tobacco cultivation? I’m sure we were all on the edge of our seats, eagerly awaiting the truth about Point Comfort, the hidden gem overshadowed by the dazzling fame of Jamestown. Because, let’s be real, who wouldn’t prefer a lesser-known historical site over the one everyone’s heard of?

Thank goodness for Calvin Pearson, the valiant superintendent of Parks and Recreation turned historical detective, unraveling the mystery with an anonymous tip in 1984. Because nothing screams reliable historical evidence like an anonymous note leading to a 10-year search. And let’s not forget John Rolfe’s conveniently timed 1619 document – the smoking gun in this grand conspiracy of historical misdirection. Who knew those English pirates aboard the White Lion, masquerading as Dutch, were just misunderstood treasure hunters? I mean, obviously, capturing Africans was just a side gig, not their main agenda.

Oh, and let’s not downplay the benevolence of Virginia categorizing the first Angolans as “servants” instead of slaves until the inconvenient legalizing of slavery in 1661. Such a considerate gesture, giving them a taste of pseudo-freedom before systematically stripping it away with discriminatory laws. But fear not, for Point Comfort’s tale doesn’t end there! It’s also the backdrop for the heroic escape of three enslaved Black men during the Civil War, conveniently finding refuge at Fort Monroe. Union General Benjamin Butler, in his infinite wisdom, declared them “contraband” of war, setting the stage for a makeshift camp and the birth of the first self-contained Black community. Because nothing says emancipation like a military stronghold turned refuge.

Now, as we eagerly await the completion of the African Landing Memorial in 2026, let’s all plan our pilgrimage to this obscure birthplace of Black American culture. Because who needs Jamestown when we can have the lesser-known, deeply sarcastic Point Comfort as the pinnacle of historical significance? Cheers to rewriting history with a generous sprinkle of sarcasm!