Seminary Archives at Bishop Payne Library

06/04/2026

Earlier this week, the archives staff of Virginia Theological Seminary sat down with the Religion News Service ( RNS ) to discuss the recent discovery of an early typeset draft of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s theological and moral treatise on non-violent direct action, A Letter From A Birmingham Jail. The historical document is part of the African American Episcopal Historical Collection, a joint project of VTS and the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (RNS) — The version housed at Virginia Theological Seminary is not for sale, and archive staffers plan to seek the best ways to make its contents available for the public to view.

05/29/2026

The African American Episcopal Historical Collection (AAEHC) has discovered an early draft of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic Letter from Birmingham Jail. The document was found in the papers of the late Bishop John M. and Esther Burgess, which were donated by their daughters to the AAEHC – a joint initiative between Virginia Theological Seminary and the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church.

Dr. King wrote the iconic letter on the margins of a copy of the New York Times, which was smuggled to him while he was imprisoned in Birmingham City Jail. He then gave the newspaper to one of his close advisors, Clarence Jones, who died last week, and asked him to arrange for it to be typed up. Because the letter was written in fragments, the sequence was not always clear, and different drafts went back and forth to Dr. King. The copy in the Burgesses’ papers is one of these early drafts.

Read more here: https://vts.edu/press-release/african-american-episcopal-historical-collection-discovers-early-draft-of-martin-luther-king-jr-s-letter-from-birmingham-jail/

04/07/2026

In the papers of VTS professor Charles Price is this letter expressing regret for not being in communication concerning the reunion of the VTS Class of 1949, because the sender, VTS alum José G. Saucedo, had just been elected and consecrated the Primate of the newly autonomous Anglican Church of Mexico.

03/06/2026

Mark Your Calendar!

02/10/2026

To mark the approaching Feast of Absalom Jones, the African American Episcopal Historical Collection has curated an exhibit dedicated to both Absalom Jones and Richard Allen. While some attempt to erase their contributions, the AAEHC is proud to honor their legacy and impact on the Black Christian experience in the United States.

02/05/2026

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D., has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2027–28 academic year, concluding 21 years of transformative leadership as Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and six years as President of The General Theological Seminary. Here he is pictured with his family and the then Chairman of the VTS Board, Bishop Peter Lee, at his installation as Dean of the Seminary.

The Boards of Trustees of VTS and GTS have launched an international search for the next Dean and President. Learn more about the search and how to engage here: https://vts.edu/dean-search/

02/03/2026

Applications Are Open! Information on applying for a research travel grant to the African American Episcopal Historical Collection is available at www.vts.edu/AAEHC

01/19/2026

On March 31, 1968, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his last Sunday Sermon from the Canterbury Pulpit of the Washington National Cathedral. Four days later he was assassinated. VTS's first African American student, John T. Walker, was Canon for the Cathedral at the time and was instrumental in arranging the historic visit of Dr. King.

12/22/2025

“Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” was written by VTS Alumni Bishop Phillips Brooks. After visiting Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1865 and standing near the place of Christ’s birth, the beauty and simplicity of that night stayed with him. Years later, he put that holy memory into words for the children of his church—giving the world one of its most beloved Christmas carols.

12/02/2025

On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, the Seminary Archives at Bishop Payne Library acknowledges VTS's participation in the institution of slavery, and we reaffirm our commitment to justice and healing through the VTS Reparations Program—honoring those who labored under slavery and oppression, and elevating Black voices for a more inclusive future.