Williamsburg, Virginia was the capital of America 200 years ago, but that was before the colonies declared their independence and King George III had gone mad.

Williamsburg has portrayed a largely white version of history

For the last 70 years Williamsburg has been a leading, if twee, tourist attraction where people dress in 18th century clothes re-enacting a somewhat sanitised and very white version of US history.

But that's all changing. Twice weekly, visitors see "Enslaving Virginia" - a dramatisation that shows the plight of black people in revolutionary times.

Out goes the usual image of Americans bravely resisting the evil colonial power, in comes an image of the settlers as slave-owners and slave-beaters.

Whites and blacks shaken

At one dramatic point in the performance, black slaves meeting to discuss an offer of freedom if they fight for the British, are confronted by a slave patrol. Black americans in the audience were visibly shaken.

In one scene, blacks are confronted by a slave patrol

"I was really getting very angry and very riled up about it, which is surprising because I hadn't expected myself to feel that way. I was thinking that these people should go and get these muskets and shoot these people and kill them," one black visitor said.

It also has a sobering effect on most white vistors.

"Chills went through my body. You see the force, and you see how explosive it was," the white visitor said.

Shaking off romantic notions

The re-enactment was the idea of Harvey Bakhari, director of African American programmes at Colonial Williamsburg.

"When you upset people or sometimes frighten people for the common good or educational value, that's good," Mr Bakhari said.

"Sometimes if a person is comfortable in a romanticised history, a history that is glorified, they may exclude others, they may exclude blacks when they think of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson."

Blacks and whites have been shocked and angered

In the past Williamsburg, where 18th century pageant signs sit alongside American Express cards welcome signs, has attracted an overwhelmingly white crowd, 96% of its million annual visitors.

But Will Robbins, one of the few blacks in the audience, says other African Americans should now come.

A friend had asked him about the dramatisation before he had seen, and Mr Robbins expected to be bored. After seeing it, his outlook changed.

"When I go back and tell him, I will say make sure you bring your kids here. This is what they need to see," he said.

The very attention "Enslaving Virginia" has attracted says shows how the past is still a painful place for black and white alike and how race is still a highly senstivie issue in modern America.