stages and exploring the lives and lore of its citizens. The volume charts the development of the Library and its collections, presenting rarities such as Nova Virginiae Tabula (1671), a hand-colored map prepared for the first encyclopedia of the Americas, and Thomas Jefferson's "Act for Establishing Religious Freedom" (1786). The Common Wealth reveals the words of men and women from all ranks of Virginia's society, including the plea for freedom from Phillip Cowen, an African American indentured servant (1675), and the petition of Queen Ann of the Pamunkey Indian nation for protection of tribal lands (ca. 1705-1706). The Common Wealth: Treasures from the Collections of the Library of Virginia should find a special place on the bookshelf of anyone who studies and cherishes Virginia's rich past.

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