An Inconspicuous Celebration Standing Strong

Leading into Black History Month, I found it fitting to take a visit to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Upon arrival I could not find the exact location since I was looking for a typically large building, instead I found a museum which looked like an old house. I later found out it used to be exactly that. The building was bought by the Council of Colored Women in 1922, led by Maggie Walker. I felt like I was taking a step back into the late 1700s when African Americans started to settle into Jackson Ward. After ringing the doorbell I was greeted by a kind man by the name of Marcus who gave me brochures of the museum before he sat me down to watch a short film. I felt out of place and my expectations of a large historic building were already distorted. I began to question the authority of the museum instead of soaking it all up. Once I began to watch the film I was launched into the intriguing history of Jackson Ward how such a neighborhood obtained the legacy of faith and determination which is maintained today.

The tiny screen presented the film “2^nd Street” by Lochie Fuller. This helped me significantly as I learnt the history in Jackson Ward before I even walked around the museum so I could appreciate everything to a greater extent. I thought it was interesting that Duke Ellington used to spend his time there in the mid-1940s also known as the 'Golden Era'. Black people started their own businesses in the 1950s and shops became popular. Changes in downtown Richmond later impacted the area, especially for the shops.

I think it is great that 'the spirit of 2^nd Street lives on'. Despite 2^nd Street being two blocks away from the museum (Clay street), I could still feel the 2^nd street spirit being inside the museum. Jackson Ward denotes the predominately African American neighborhood in Richmond Virginia which the museum does a good job representing. The term “Jackson Ward” originally referred to a voting district which existed from 1871-1902. Despite my expectations of a bigger museum, the artifacts which they had were very interesting. One which particularly caught my eye was “The International Style House Barber Chair” which was used to create business in 1960. This item represents the concentration of beauty salons and barber shops in Jackson Ward at the time. I also found that the Waller’s Jewelry store which still exists today was the first black Jewelry shop opened in Richmond in 1900, by Marcellus C. Waller Sr. (1872-1957). This is a great example of how the lived experience which black people had in Jackson Ward is still at work today.

As I continued my walk through the museum I came across the exhibit titled “A Stitch In Time” which informed me how black entrepreneurs in Jackson Ward tried to take advantage of the need for practical goods around 1921. There was the school of Practical Tailoring which provided blacks and whites the opportunity to learn the skills of tailoring and to prepare its graduates with the knowledge to begin their own tailoring business. What amazes me is the opportunities black people created for themselves after migrating to the area, I think this museum does a great job representing this aspect of black history. I continued my museum tour when I attempted to make my way upstairs before Marcus informed me there was a work in progress and I was not allowed to go up, instead I made my way downstairs.

As I walked down the stairs by framed pictures of the past presidents of the museum I recognize the continued effort to not let go of the achievements and lives of black people in Virginia. I then came across “The Art of Father and Son as One” by Jerome and Jeromyah Jones which was an art display representing the son following in his father’s footsteps as a full time artist. Joromyah's father had been a positive role model in his life which lead to continued success in the family. For over thirty years Jerome has been using his original paintings to teach “the art of life through the love of art” using their gifts to encourage others. The first painting “Friends, Mentors, and Proteges” sets the tone for the display of paintings to follow as it shows Jerome and Jeromyah playing chess with a book open on the table which appears to be a bible. Much of their artwork had religious influences hinted by the bible verses often found within the paintings. I was interested by the Christian faith often lived out by African American people with Arthur Ashe being another example. These paintings reminded me of the Arthur Ashe monument and how below it has a Bible verse below it also. It inspired me to see how black people leaned on God when the going got tough and they found strength through their faith to pursue their life goals. It was made apparent to me that this museum celebrates the human spirit through such collections and I found it highly encouraging.

 As I made my way back upstairs I finally walked into the “Heritage Gift Shop” which sold a range of items from hats to religious art works, African sculptures, jewelry and educational materials. The fact that the museum was so small made the gift shop quite a large part of the museum, rejoicing in the works of the cities oldest African American community. I would have liked to see more historical artifacts but it is apparent that the museum is making a strong effort to continue the celebration of black history today. I walked away having a lot of respect for people who went through such adversity to not only come out the other end with successful businesses but to have significant accomplishments. This historical site is important to the history of America and should continue to be maintained and developed.  

 

 

 

 

A Stroll Through the White House of the Confederacy

           

            

             Situated in downtown Richmond, in the midst of Virginia Commonwealth University’s campus, lies an architectural relic of the Confederate State of America. Serving as a capital and symbol of the Confederacy during the Civil War, this historical location serves as a memorial to the Confederate government and its President Jefferson Davis. Built in 1818, The White House of the Confederacy is arguably “one of the nation's finest historic, architectural and decorative treasures.” It has been completely restored to resemble its original wartime appearance, which allows its visitors to be transported back in time to life in America during the Civil War Era of the mid 1800s.

            Upon arriving at The Museum of the Confederacy, a tour guide greeted visitors in the lobby. Dressed in a suit and tie, the guide escorted those on the tour out of the museum and over to the White House. Next, we were led into the building, through a back basement door, and into a small room with several old black and white photographs on the walls. Here I assumed a short film or explanation for the significance of the tour would be given in order to situate visitors within the historical context of the White House during the Civil War. However, the guide quickly jumped into various dates and gave us ground rules for viewing the exhibit. In addition, there were not any signs or posters detailing anything we were viewing. The lack of a clearly stated historical setting gave the guide free range to shape and present the history of the White House in any way he pleased.

            Unsure of the true goal of the museum, I took my basic knowledge of the Civil War and tried to make sense of what the guide was showing us. He led us through each room of the mansion starting with the front entrance and making our way through the dining room, meeting rooms, offices, master bedroom, finally ending with the children’s nursery. In every room we visited, the guide speculated about how different visitors may have been treated and what a typical day during Jefferson Davis’ presidency would have been like. For example, someone entering the main door of the house would be greeted, asked who they were, and depending on their response, they would either be escorted to Davis’ office or permitted to leave their calling card. Or he would reference different battles, such as Yorktown, but never stated its importance or what actually occurred during the feud. However, his addition of various random facts about the objects in each room proved to be distracting. While a coffee pot stolen from the Confederate White House, engraved by the thief saying “John B. Smith’s loot from the Confederacy,” was interesting, it would have been beneficial to learn about more significant historical occurrences that specifically tied into each room.

            

             As the tour came to a close and our guide asked if we had any final questions, I decided I would ask what his motivations were behind how he presented the White House and related history. Expecting his response to be that he wanted his visitors to leave with a better understanding of what life at the White House would have been like during the Civil War, he bluntly stated, “I hope you leave today wanting to go read a book about Jefferson Davis or the Confederacy.” Unsure of how to take his response, I left the museum feeling unsettled. Instead of leaving with a narrative of Confederate American history, I found myself trying to piece together all of the facts that had been thrown at me.

            The obvious lack of continuity between the tour and presentation of the White House is one major drawback of the museum. Had there been a clearly constructed storyline that guided the core of the tour, either presented entirely before the tour began or posted on various signs throughout the mansion, the significance of the tour would have been easier to follow. This would give all visitors a similar experience, while also allowing each tour guide to add his or her own personal anecdotes throughout their tour. The lack of written words and total reliance on what the guide was saying forced me to question the authenticity of what and how he presented Confederate life. There was no supporting evidence to the historical claims he was making, causing me to remain somewhat skeptical of how he chose to shape the museum. While I enjoyed the décor and uniqueness of the artifacts, those without a concrete understanding of American history would likely be lost within a sea of incongruous facts and dates after leaving the White House of the Confederacy. 

Adding New Perspective to an Old War: Tredegar’s In the Cause of Liberty Exhibit

The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar is located on eight acres near the historic James River in downtown Richmond. A National Historic Landmark, the Tredegar site contains five surviving buildings illustrating the Iron Works era. The center’s main exhibit, In the Cause of Liberty, is located in the restored 1861 Gun Foundry. According to their website, the mission of the museum is to “tell the whole story of the conflict that still shapes our nation”- the Civil War.

Upon entering the In the Cause of Liberty exhibit, I immediately understood that the museum’s main intent was to shower me with perspective through various forms of media: banners, maps, videos, timelines, and artifacts. In particular, the three main perspectives that were consistently focused on throughout the entire museum were those of the Unionists, Confederates, and African Americans. This critique will first describe the In the Cause of Liberty exhibit and from there will explain its effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses.

Although the museum at first seemed like it was going to cover an enormous time span (1776 to the present), in reality the exhibit dedicated most of its space and media to a narrow gap of time: 1860-1867. The majority of the lower level focused on the years 1860 to 1863. Most of the space of the upper level was dedicated to displaying 1864 and 1865, glossing over the periods like the Reconstruction (1866-1877) in order to connect the war to the present by the end of the exhibit. Each one of these years had its own section in the museum that includes most, if not all of the following: maps to demonstrate the locations major events; banners to reveal the variety of personal feelings of affected individuals; timelines to highlight the very specific events and intricate details of the war; and featurettes to display the artifacts of specific commanders and citizens. Debates/ questions that guided and shaped the museum’s content were ones regarding the civil war’s causes, positive and negative effects, and current world legacies. The exhibit was constructed so that visitor is first educated via video on the multiple causes of war, which appear chronologically interwoven as he/she walks from the lower to upper floor of the exhibit. At the end of the journey, the visitor is reunited with the same three speakers from the first video and is shown how present America is a legacy of the civil war.

One of the strongest features of the In the Cause of Liberty exhibit was its consistency. Each display in every major section of the museum addressed the Unionist, Confederate and African American perspective. In addition, the museum did a great job of integrating each of the causes that led to the civil war within the museum. For example, one display contrasted the different economies and inventions between the north and south, one discussed the Louisiana Purchase, one explained treaty disagreements, and one addressed slavery.

The majority of the interactive displays that the exhibit offered were clever and well-planned. My favorite one was the video room I encountered during the beginning of the exhibit. This exhibit prompted viewers to sit and push a button to vote on what they felt was the true cause of the Civil War. After visitors casted their vote, they were then shown how their results compared to prior museum visitors. Then, the video began and three speakers discussed how each of these factors played a large part in causing the war. I enjoyed this opening display because it was interesting to see how other people’s answers differed from mine and learn through multiple perspectives about the civil war. Another fun interactive display was a telegraph that allowed visitors to spell out their name using a More Code alphabet list. I was excited to get the opportunity to not only see, but also use such an old communication device. Lastly, I loved the post-it board at the end of the exhibit that allowed visitors to reflect, view, and post responses to prompts such as, “What legacies of the civil war impacted your life?” and “Is your first loyalty to your state or your country?” This was a great display to culminate my museum experience and was successful in persuading me how relevant the Civil War is to our present world.

Despite the museum’s overall success in holding my interest, there were a couple of weaknesses. Firstly, the exhibit was too overwhelming! Without a tour guide and with so many different forms of media to see I was confused about what I supposed to focus on. I recall the irony of passing by a display labeled “enthused chaos” because it perfectly summarized my whole exhibit experience. Another disappointment was the complete lack of Tredegar’s presence. In the entire museum only one tiny display discussed Tredegar’s role as the Confederacy’s leading canon manufacturer. Thirdly, I found the interactive displays near each of the map sections to be weak and problematic to my learning experience. These sword-like mechanisms were used to reveal quantitative content (numbers of soldiers lost, items stolen, etc.) once a visitor pulled the metal from its “sheath.” Although they appeared to a smart concept due to their connection to civil war weaponry, because of the loud noises they made and physical workout I received from removing these “informational swords”, I soon lost motivation to discover new civil war facts.

In closing, the American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar provides visitors with new insight about the Civil War. Through the museum’s interplay of three war perspectives, visitors learn the different motivations for fighting the war as well as its various effects. More importantly, the exhibit shows the remnants of the Civil War within our own lives (current equality struggles, ancestors, etc.) and emphasizes how the Civil War transformed the U.S. into the strong international force that it is today.

Museum: “In the Cause of Liberty”. The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar. 500 Tredegar Street, Richmond, VA 23219. February 2, 2012. 

Far From the Whole Story: In The Cause of Liberty at The American Civil War Center

            The American Civil War Center located Historic Tredegar “strives to tell the whole story of the conflict that still shapes our nation”. The main exhibit, In The Cause of Liberty, “interweaves Union, Confederate and African American narratives into one story” according the Center’s promotional materials. While the American Civil War Center does tell the story of the Civil War, it is far from the whole story. Instead it is a watered-down, paraphrased and poorly supported account of one cause of the War Between the States.

            When first walking through the museum the question of who the Center’s target audience is arises. According the Historic Tredegar Educational Programs pamphlet the main exhibit is intended for grades 3-12. Given the interactive displays and videos and the highly simplified materials this age group and the design of exhibit makes sense. Where concerns arise, however, come not in the form and presentation of the exhibit, but rather its content. 

            Entering the museum, past the gift shop, the visitor can see the only reference and connection made between the building, the company and the museum: a plaque. Walking under the brick archway that visitors instinctively believe to be part of the original building, there is then a miniaturize model of Tredegar Iron Works. A button under the display lights it up. While engaging, upon reflection it seems to be placed before the main exhibit as an afterthought- a way to acknowledge the space without having to integrate it into the narrative of the exhibit.

            The first part of the exhibit states the curator’s thesis: the legacy of the Civil War continues to shape our lives today. Walking past this visitors then see a timeline. The timeline: From Union to Disunion, traces the events from 1775-1860.  The themes of liberty, union and freedom begin here by starting with the Declaration of Independence. While the circular structure of the timeline smoothly guided visitors into the exhibit, the print was far too small to read and the timeline far too text heavy for the target audience.

            The bottom floor of the two-story exhibit proved to be confusing because banners displaying texts and images reached to the ceiling. While the curators and designers had presumably intended for visitors only to interact with those within eyesight, their streamline design forced the visitor’s eye up to the ceilin. Thus it was hard from the bottom floor to determine how much text was related to the exhbits on the ground floor.  

            After rounding the timeline visitors were invited into a circular space. In this space a film, What Caused the Civil War?, repeatedly cycled. In the space are chairs with built in clickers that allow the audience to interact with the video. This tactic actively engage in the learning process.

            The three narrators, a black man, a white woman and white man, ask the audience which of the following was the cause of the Civil War: arguments over state versus federal power, competing economies between the North and South, Westward expansion and slavery. After several seconds of voting, the narrators then walk the audience through each cause. Unfortunately, in an attempt to reach their audience, they boiled down each cause ultimately tying it to slavery. This resulted in visitors believing that slavery was the primary and most significant cause of the Civil War and all the prior causes were circumstantial.

            The rest of the exhibit was constructed around this central idea: slavery was the cause of the war, or at least the only one that mattered, and thus instead of the whole story of the Civil War being discussed, the exhibition was dedicated to the oppression and ultimate freedom of African Americans from slavery. The second video, The Emancipating Proclamation: Words that Transformed a War and a Nation, stated what proved to be the exhibit’s actual thesis the war was “a white man fight for a black man’s freedom”. This became the focus and thus the exhibit fell short of narrating the whole story of the Civil War.

            Let it be noted that there were artifacts throughout the museum, though there were few, and information that did not directly relate to the freeing of the slaves. The overwhelming majority of the museum were secondary sources: those that are not artifacts, but are instead banners, videos, and so forth

            There was an attempt to include other information that helped to show every aspect of the war. The clearest example of this could be seen in a small circular room on the second floor, similar to the one showing the video of the first floor, dedicated to children and women during the war. While commendable to try to include this often-neglected aspect, the size of this exhibit in comparison to the rest emphasized the fact that this was not be a main take away of the museum.

            The exhibit’s final video and section highlight the emphasis on the narrative of the slave by showing pictures of Martin Luther King Jr., women participating in marches during the Second Wave of feminism, prominent African American athletes and musicians. These were an attempt to remind visitors of how far we've come. The three narrators from the first video meet the visitor again at this point in Legacy and Memory. In it they re-summarize the exhibit ending with their own sentiments including the white female telling the audience that she use to see things one way and now she see them differently. This is presumably in reference to the information that is revealed through the museum. Visitors then leave upstairs where the video is playing and walk downstairs to the “Tell Us What You Think About: Union, Home, Freedom, Heritage, Legacy and Your Experience” feedback section. The walk down the stairs gives visitors time to reflect on their experience and articulate their reactions. 

            One final point of interest resides in the building itself. The location of the museum sets visitors up for a very different experience than they are given. As previously stated, the Center is located within Historic Tredegar. The location was home to Tredegar Iron Works, which was the Confederacy’s only major iron works. The company played a significant role in the war as one of the company’s cannons fired the opening shot at Ft. Sumter; the battle that marked the beginning of war. Additionally, Tredegar Iron Works cast more than 500 for the South during the War of Northern Aggression. Given the rich history of the company and its obvious connections to the War, a logical trajectory of the museum would have been to present the history of the Civil War from technological and militaristic perspective: what kind of weaponry was used, if and how did Union and Confederate guns differ, how did these differences privilege either side and so forth.  Visitors expected the rich history of the location to influence and supplement the content of the museum. This was not the case and thus visitors felt cheated out of what could have been a truly interactive museum experience. In sum, expectations were not fully realized.

            In conclusion, The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar tells part of the story of the Civil War, but it is far from the whole story. The museum can be beneficial for children in grades 3-12, but it is importantly to supplement their knowledge courtesy museum by talking with them about their experiences and what they learned in order to help truly construct the whole story of the Civil War. 

Once Upon a Time…: the Virginia Historical Society’s The Story of Virginia, an American Experience



Exterior, Virginia Historical Society

Exhibit banner


16,000 years in 10,000 square feet [1].  While this does appear to be quite a feat, it is the explicit mission of the Virginia Historical Society’s exhibit The Story of Virginia, an American Experience.  The site, located in downtown Richmond’s museum district, chronicles Virginia’s historical transformation from the earliest recorded times of native Virginians all the way through the present day.  The exhibit’s explicit purpose is to allow visitors to “witness the cultural and historical transformations of the commonwealth as they travel from one gallery to another” [2]. The mission of this particular exhibit also reflects that of the Virginia Historical Society in its entirety.  Founded in 1831, the Virginia Historical Society has a stated mission of “connecting people to America’s past through the unparalleled story of Virginia” [3]. 

The unparalleled story of Virginia.  So, what exactly is the story of Virginia?

This is the question that the exhibit aims to answer, or put more accurately, aims to explore.  The exhibit does more than just display artifacts that merely detail the historical events that characterize the creation and maintenance of the commonwealth or simply retell the story of Virginia; it creates an arena for constructing a vision of the commonwealth’s identity by providing visitors with an exploration of the essence of Virginia – what it means to be Virginia and what it means to be a Virginian.  This is the facet of history with which the exhibit most engages: tackling the notion of defining Virginian history, delineating the legacy of Virginia, and creating a space for understanding Virginia’s potential.

The exhibit takes its visitors on a chronological journey of Virginia’s own journey as a place, a state, and as a community of people.  It is notably framed as an evolutionary narrative.  The theme of evolution and transformation guides the structure of the exhibit and subsequently structures the conception of Virginia’s identity as a continually transforming, progressive experience.



Replica of Arthur Ashe at exit of the exhibit.

The apparent buzzword of the entire exhibit is “becoming”.  The exhibit is organized into several galleries and sub-galleries focusing on specific time frames and specific sub-topics respectively.   It all begins when visitors enter “Virginia Becomes Home” which documents the lives of native Virginians.  Next, visitors enter “Becoming Virginians” which documents the lives of the colonial Virginians. Then, visitors walk to the next galleries see how Virginians participated in “Becoming Americans” during the Revolution, “Becoming Southerners” and the advent of the plantation system, and ultimately “Becoming Confederates” with the onset of the Civil War.  The next phase in the journey demonstrates how Virginia engaged with “Becoming New Southerners” during Reconstruction, “Becoming Americans Again”, and “Becoming Equal” during desegregation.  Lastly, after following the circular construction of the exhibit, visitors enter “Becoming a New Virginia” which is a compilation of present day artifacts.  This gallery leaves visitors wondering about what future generations of Virginians will accomplish as it  leaves them off right where they started by the “Virginia Becomes Home” gallery.  The journey visitors physically take is circular while the journey they experience follows more of a linear progression.

The narrative frame that emphasizes evolution throughout time is also seen through the strategic use of color and decorative elements in the different galleries of the exhibit.  The early galleries employ more muted, earth tones with low lighting.  As visitors progress on the self-guided tour, the lightening gets brighter and brighter colors are introduced, although a muted palate nonetheless fills the majority of the walls.  Other decorative elements are staged to place the visitor within the historical context, as seen in the photos below.  These production elements mimic the constructed transformative journey on which Virginia and the visitors have embarked.


Decorative element that reflects early colonization of Virginia.

Decorative element that reflects daily life on a Virginian plantation.

This story of Virginia with allusions to its complexity as told through a plethora of artifacts, however, is not complete.  The strength of the museum to consider the larger picture always demonstrates a weakness of the exhibit to try to include all of Virginia’s history into a relatively small space.  Certain topics of historical interest are breezed over without much depth to the topic’s inclusion in the exhibit.  For example, one problematic inclusion in the exhibit is the discussion of Native Americans in the exhibit.  They are referred to as the first “inhabitants” of the land we all now know as Virginia.  In one or more places, Native Americans are actually referred to as “Indians”.  Another example is that slavery is mentioned in a few places throughout several galleries but the topic is not shown as a prominent part of Virginia’s identity.  It seems to be thrown into the mix as contextual evidence of the times rather than an institution that complicates the vision of Virginia’s progressive history.  The severity of slavery is also breezed over as it is first referred to in the exhibit as “African Labor”, as seen in the photo below.


One of the first mentions of Virginia's engagement with slavery.

Each gallery, as dictated by their respective titles, embodies the spirit of becoming something else in the evolution of the commonwealth.  The reason this blog post has not delved into much detail about each historical landmark event or artifact included is because the sheer amount of details would be tiresome to write and to read about.  What appears to be most important for the visitor is to engage in the experience of Virginia, what it has been like, what it is like today, and to imagine what it will be like in the days to come. What a visitor walks away with a powerful sense of what Virginia is about – an experience of Virginia, a memory of Virginia’s transformation.

 

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[1] "About The Story of Virginia, An American Experience." Virginia Historical Society - The Center for Virginia History. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. <http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/about.htm>.
[2] "About The Story of Virginia, An American Experience." Virginia Historical Society - The Center for Virginia History. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. <http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/about.htm>.
[3] "About the Virginia Historical Society." Virginia Historical Society - The Center for Virginia History. Web. 29 Jan. 2012. <http://www.vahistorical.org/about/main.htm>.

Walker to a Stranger

For African Americans, the early 20th century brought Jim Crow Laws that thwarted intellectual opportunity and economic access for the black community. Maggie Lena Walker was one limb on the legendary cohort of southern African American leaders born during or after the Civil War who viewed themselves as shapers of a fresh community culture. In the face of socioeconomic oppression, Walker and the Independent Order of St. Luke confronted economic, race, and gender discrimination by providing security to the African American community. One of those communities was Jackson Ward, which hosted the most affluent African American population in the early twentieth century and served as the epicenter of black culture and the primary business district for Richmond, Virginia. Maggie Walker’s home, in the heart of the ward, was named a National Historic Site in 1978 and currently protects the restored and originally furnished home of this pioneer for black economic empowerment.

The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site was opened to the public in 1985 as a commemorative landmark and a celebratory exhibit to the life and works of Walker. Her admirers are able to experience her life by touring her fully preserved home under the provision of a tour guide. I was fortunate to experience the museum in a small group where curiosity among the tour-goers was kindled into interactive discussion with the guide about the ethnographic significance of her home. The museum and its guided tour exists to honor one of Richmond’s most admired residents, tell a narrative about her personal life and the times, and educate the public about not only Maggie L.Walker but also the struggles and victories in the causes she supported. It stands as a testament to her desire to inspire the black community, develop educational opportunities, and facilitate a beneficial environment for youth.

As a precursor to the museum tour, we were told that more than 90% of the furniture is original, unmoved, and in the exact condition that Maggie Walker had left it at her death in 1934. This fact allows museum goers to see the home through the eyes of Mrs. Walker as she did in the late 1920s and early 1930s before her death. Immediately through the front door is the front parlor where Mrs. Walker entertained guests, seemingly “an appropriate place to start the day with you” as the guide would announce. Tourists are immediately neck deep in veneration for Mrs. Walker’s legacy when the tour guide explains where they stand. This spot served as the formal social space of the house where Walker entertained the many illustrious guests she befriended as she became a crux in civic engagement, civil rights, and the struggle for economic equality. Standing next to a chair where George Washington Carver and Mary Church Terrell may have shared a drink with Maggie Walker struck a nerve in me for reverence and respect. The presence of the extravagant chandelier, grand piano, vases, and fine china that adorned this room reportedly served Mrs. Walker’s intentional goal of inspiring the black community. Also featured in the front parlor was a sofa chair turned wheelchair with a retractable desk that facilitated her desire to write and work even through her paralysis in old age. This room sets the stage for the tour by cultivating a sense of awe and respect for the life and works of such a brilliant and determined woman who rose from poverty to social prominence even in the face of opposition.

The tour took a left into Walker’s personal library, the “most revealing room in the home” which encapsulates her persona with its furniture, posters, and book collection. This small room served as her office and work area where she studied books and wrote speeches, lectures, and public addresses. The collection of six hundred worn and battered books about economics, African American history, business, education, and politics mirror her interests and motivations and an activist and businesswoman. A poster titled “101 Prominent Colored People” hangs over her work desk and serves a very specific purpose. According to the guide, “just as Mrs. Walker wanted to inspire people with her home, she needed inspiration herself. So what better way than to have all the people you love and admire looking down on you as you work?” Ironically, the No. 94 slot on the poster of 101 prominent colored people was occupied by none other than Mrs. Maggie Walker (done alphabetically not by rank).

 

The museum featured a room that was formerly an outdoor porch which Walker had enclosed and turned into a recreation room for her two sons and their friends. The room featured a record player/radio, mini bar, and card table where Walker allowed neighborhood kids to have a few drinks, listen to music, and play cards. This space was referred to by the guide as a “man cave” where Maggie Walker facilitated fun in the safety of her home so that kids would not turn to the streets. Her intentionality in this area was a concrete display of her desire to build a legacy of responsible, educated, and civilized youth.

Her bedroom is decorated with crosses, paintings, and other religious artifacts like the family bible that epitomize her Christian faith and religious devotion which helped shape her core values. The museum even highlights Walker’s struggles and tragedies from her paralysis to the accidental murder of her husband in a second floor bathroom at the hand of her son Russell. Through her struggles and tragedies she overcame and adapted. The impressive nature of the Maggie L. Walker mansion symbolizes her transcendence from poverty to prominence. In spite of humble upbringings, Maggie Walker gained national recognition and respect as a female entrepreneur and African American social leader. Improvements in the lives of African Americans and women were made visible by the ideas of her mind, the nerve in her heart, and the toil of her hands. Each room in the museum represents a synthesis of these three ideals.

Lively Commemorations Coupled with Stark Realities of the Past

Showcasing local Richmond artifacts, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia mediates a tension between the saddened, broad, recurring narrative of slavery, and the chronicled, but rarefied, story of Richmond’s productive and bustling black community of the Jackson Ward. Overall, this museum and cultural center celebrates Richmond’s black community and its successes while at the same time, reveals the many obstacles affecting this community’s triumphant narrative. Ultimately, the message that I came away with was that although there is much to be celebrated about black history, the somber realities of slavery must never be forgotten.

            Founded in 1981, this unique historic home is situated right in the center of Richmond’s historic Jackson Ward, a noteworthy historic black community where many black businesses were first owned and operated. For visitors trying to locate the museum, there are limited street signs, and the building appears to be disguised as a private residence, even requiring visitors to ring a doorbell for entry. As I approached the museum, I rang the doorbell and was quickly greeted by a friendly man named Marcus. He welcomed me in and gave me a few brochures explaining the museum’s purpose and physical layout. According to the brochure, this museum represents “a celebration of the human spirit and a testament to what people can achieve when they are faced with adversity.” I was immediately seated in a small, private booth, and Marcus turned on a short film about the history of the Jackson Ward, which emphasized the location as one of the first historic settlements for blacks south of D.C.

After this film was over, I began the tour of the first exhibit, entitled, “Banks, Boutiques & The Deuce: the Legacy of Jackson Ward.” This exhibit celebrates the area of the Jackson Ward by commemorating it as a flourishing, “city within a city.”  In fact, today, it is remembered as the “birthplace of black capitalism.”  This exhibit demonstrates how the black economic force has shaped the city of Richmond today, by tracing visitors back to the time period of this bustling city through its showcase of historic artifacts, business licenses, contracts, and certificates.

Ultimately, the artifacts were engaging, however, this exhibit lacked cohesion and polish. The physical layout of the museum was awkward and did not assertively suggest for visitors to go one way or the other, but more so, allows them to shyly choose. This lack of assertiveness could cause some confusion for some visitors. Additionally, this exhibit was deficient in its efforts to offer an abundance of detailed historical information in accompaniment with the artifacts and paintings showcased.  Many of the artifacts had small placards, but ultimately, these artifacts were lacking in detailed historical information. It is important to reveal the story behind each and every artifact on display so visitors can confirm the legitimacy of the museum. Visitors want to know what is special about a particular artifact. Furthermore, the museum cannot assume that all visitors have an in depth background knowledge of prominent people in black history, and so, when a particular person is showcased, this exhibit should emphasize historical biographies, especially with regards to people like Maggie Walker, Abraham Skipwith, and Neverett Alexander Eggleston, Sr.

The exhibit continues around the loop, and ends abruptly, exiting visitors into the gift shop.  I then proceeded up the curved staircase to view the second exhibit, entitled, “Shackles.” This exhibit looks at black history in a different manner, illuminating the negative effect of slavery by tracing these consequences to present day. As visitors proceed forward at the top of the steps, they must enter four different rooms, each with a different word painted over the doorway. The first is, the “door of no return,” leading visitors into a bare room with placards telling a brief story about the history of slavery. Next, visitors are lead through the door entitled, “emancipation,” another bare room with placards tracing the history of freedom from slavery. Then visitors walk through, “find a way or make one,” another bare room telling stories of successful locals who have overcome the obstacles of slavery, and have made successful lives for themselves. And lastly, visitors walk through the “door of return,” which leads into a section linking African pasts and its current connections. Even though this exhibit had very few artifacts, the aesthetics of the bare rooms, the powerful words above each doorway, and the important quotations above each fireplace demanded a compelling introspection from me. Although it saddened me, this exhibit was successful in urging me to think and reflect about the past, and even though the exhibit was bare, this bareness points to the powerfulness of words. 

            As I humbly retreated back down the stairs in reflection of history’s past events, I continued to the basement to gaze at oil paintings done by a father/son duo. This last part of the museum and cultural center represents a continued celebration for contemporary achievements. This, I thought, was a nice way to wrap up the tour, because it neutralizes the sour feelings visitors may have as they leave the “Shackles” exhibit, and thus offers a positive outlook for visitors to leave with.

Overall, this museum and cultural center, in its three exhibits, both celebrates the successes in black history and commemorates the struggles of black history. This is a place that speaks directly to the visitor, without regards to his or her racial or ethnic background. This is a museum that successfully urges visitors to reflect on the past, relish in the present, and look forward to the future.