The Ambassador of Malawi will join sponsors this Saturday in dedicating a state historical marker issued by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources that highlights the life of John Chilembwe, who led a revolt against British colonial authorities in 1915 in present-day Malawi. The British government later claimed that Chilembwe’s actions resulted from his schooling at Virginia Seminary, today’s University of Lynchburg.

Ambassador Edward Yakobe Sawerengera and Malawi First Secretary Alinafe Chikonde will participate in the dedication ceremony along with Lynchburg Mayor Mary Jane Dolan and Dr. James Coleman of Virginia University of Lynchburg (VUL). The ceremony begins at 1 p.m., November 14, at the site of the marker, located on the University of Lynchburg campus. The Kuumba Dance Ensemble will perform at the ceremony. Following the marker’s unveiling, the Anne Spencer House will host a socially distanced reception in its gardens, where the Kuumba Dance Ensemble will perform again. The dedication and reception are open to the public.