June 30, 2026 — Thirty-five years ago, the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum asked a local group of retired menhaden fishermen to perform some of their work songs, known as chanteys, for a Fourth of July celebration. They became the Northern Neck Chantey Singers and spent decades touring the country.
Last Friday, three remaining members, now in their 80’s, performed one last time for a dedication ceremony of a road marker honoring their legacy.
More than a century ago, before the hydraulic lift, Black fishermen strained to bring up fish-laden nets on menhaden boats out in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic.