The Exposition developed into an opportunity for the United States to flex its military muscle.

President Theodore Roosevelt opened the festivities, which included rides, carnivals and music. The highlight of the exposition, though, was the massing of ships later dubbed the “Great White Fleet.” Warships of many nations, including 16 U.S. battleships, participated in a naval review.

“They were not only celebrating Jamestown but the U.S. as a world power,” said Brent Tarter, assistant director of publications and educational services division at the Library of Virginia. “They were showing off.”

The exposition is just one event in American history at odds with itself. Like so many other celebrations and milestones, it left those who attended with different memories.

These various takes on history are being explored at the Library of Virginia during “Myth & Memory: Understanding Four Hundred Years of Virginia History.” Continuing through Dec. 15, the exhibit uses artifacts, posters, newspaper clippings, paintings and music to explain how historical memory is created and shaped through public events.

“Hopefully, this will remind people that they can interpret history their own way,” said Barbara Batson, the library’s exhibitions coordinator. “There is no one correct way to do it. What really makes history is how we remember that event.”

Most blacks, for example, remember Emancipation Day reunions as a time to celebrate. Veterans of the Confederate armies, however, looked back on them differently.

“It was a time of loss,” Batson said. “It became a very nostalgic

thing. Veterans would come from all over to remember. It was done in a very public way.”

The library is showcasing posters from these reunions, focusing on Loudoun County Emancipation Day. The annual event was held on Sept. 22 from 1866 until the 1960s.

“Myth & Memory” also explores how the commemorations of Jamestown’s founding, Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown and the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth reflect Virginians’ perceptions of the commonwealth’s history.

“People continually re-evaluate what history means,” said Gregg Kimball, exhibition team member.

Three interactive components give visitors the chance to experience Virginia history, by hearing it, creating their own version of it and seeing it displayed geographically. Another section of the exhibit illustrates how the development of historic sites, monuments and heritage trails can be interpreted.

“When you walk down the street and see Confederate monuments, what does that mean to you?” Kimball said. “When you look at the names on street signs, what do they mean to you? One person’s view on a particular historical episode will almost always be different from someone else’s.”

Contact staff writer Janet Caggiano at or (804) 649-6157.

“MYTH & MEMORY”

WHERE: Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St.

WHEN: Through Dec. 15. Hours: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

ADMISSION: Free.

DETAILS: Visit http://www.lva.lib.va.us or call (804) 692-3592.