Carroll Anderson, Sr. founded the museum in 1981 and it was located in many years in a historic home that was built in 1832 by German American Adolph Dill. The building was purchased in 1922 by the Council of Colored Women and eventually served as the Black branch of the Richmond Public Library. The museum supports programs and a growing archive with records and artifacts that commemorate the lives of African Americans in Virginia. The museum holds exhibitions, discussions, and celebrations and has even hosted traveling exhibitions from the Smithsonian. Highlights of the local collection include textiles from various ethnic groups throughout Africa.Guests to this part of the city can also visit the Bojangles Monument Statue, dedicated to Bill Robinson, a Black vaudeville legend as well as the Maggie Walker National Historic Site which recognizes the civil rights activist and entrepreneur. The Valentine Museum and Wickham House are also close in downtown Virginia.

The Black History Museum was founded in 1981 and was located in this home for many years

The gift shop has many cultural souvenirs.

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

Opening of new exhibit at museum. Carroll Anderson, Sr, is in the center. 

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Carroll Anderson, Sr. founded the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in 1981. After many years in a historic home, the museum is now located in a former armory in the Jackson Ward area. The museum has grown in the last four decades and offers exhibits and artifacts from the city and region's African American history along with programs and an archive. The museum hosts rotating events and exhibitions in the Jackson Ward area of Richmond. Jackson Ward was once considered the center of "Black capitalism" and is the location for other historical sites of significance.

This short tour includes sites related to the historical experiences and contributions of African Americans in downtown Richmond. The tour begins with historical sites and monuments related to the history of slavery and civil rights. The tour also includes museums, important black institutions such as businesses and churches, and landmarks related to the lives of influential Richmond residents. The tour only includes sites within a few miles of each other. Please use Clio to discover other Richmond landmarks such as the statue of Arthur Ashe.

African American History of Richmond

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Henry “Box” Brown was one of many slaves who sought freedom in the North. His wife, Nancy, was owned by a different slave master, along with their children. Nancy and the children were sold to a different plantation in North Carolina. Overcome with grief, Henry Brown decided to seek liberation from slavery. Henry enlisted the help of Samuel Alexander Smith, a white sympathizer, who in turn sought help with James Miller McKim (and William Still). McKim was a white abolitionist and member of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society. McKim was a white abolitionist and member of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society. Samuel Alexander Smith assisted Henry Brown in mailing himself to the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society.  After a very rough 27 hours, Brown arrived and met up with James Miller McKim, William Still, Professor C.D. Cleveland, and Lewis Thompson. Upon opening of the box, he greeted the men saying, “how do you do, gentlemen?” He then proceeded to recite a psalm.  The men coined him “Box” Brown.  This waterfront area of the City of Richmond had been a colonial trading post and free and enslaved African Americans lived and worked in this area. The plaza is located along the Richmond Canal Walk and on the historic docks that served as an arrival point for slaves prior to being held in nearby slave pens, jails, and auction houses. Many of these men also worked on boats along the James River carrying tobacco and other supplies to and from Richmond. The James River has many rapids, and this work was considered dangerous. The workers required a great deal of skill to navigate the waters. This plaza is dedicated to Henry "Box" Brown. It is located around the corner from the tobacco factory where Henry Brown worked. This warehouse was located at the corners of 14th and Main Streets.  It was during his time working at the factory when Henry had married a fellow slave, Nancy, with whom he had three children. They rented a home in Richmond. For a period of time Brown had been paying his master not to sell his family. However, he was betrayed, and his wife (pregnant at the time) and all 3 children were sold to a different slave owner in North Carolina. Brown had made many attempts to reunite his family, without success. Now at the age of 33, angered and fed up with his situation, Brown purposefully burned his hand at work with sulfuric acid to get three days off of work as part of his plan to escape by getting into a shipping crate that was three feet by two. As McKim described it later, Brown 'placed himself in it in a sitting posture, his back shoulder &amp; head resting against one end &amp; his feet braced against the other.' James C.A. Smith and Samuel Smith nailed the lid on the box and wrapped it with five hoops of hickory wood." A memorial metal life size replica of the box is located at Box Brown Plaza, honoring the brave journey that Henry Brown made to freedom.

The second stop on the Henry Brown path to freedom tour brings us to the waterfront in Richmond, Virginia. Richmond’s ports are steeped with African American history, as many enslaved African Americans entered the city aboard ships while free and enslaved persons worked on the river or canals, as well as the neighboring iron works and tobacco houses. The docks were initial arrival points for slaves before they were held in nearby slave pens and jails and sold at nearby auction houses. One of the most recent monumental spaces built in Richmond, the Box Brown Plaza commemorates the efforts of Henry Brown to achieve freedom. Brown became one of the most famous slaves in Richmond’s history after he escaped his master in Virginia, boxed himself inside a crate, and paid to have the crate shipped from Virginia to Philadelphia while he was inside. The Plaza includes a memorial for Brown: a metal duplicate of the box in which he was shipped stands as a testament to the bravery it took to pursue freedom.

Henry Box Brown Plaza

The objective of this trans-Atlantic effort was to&nbsp;commemorate the people
who were captured and taken to the American colonies were they were sold as slaves. The statues depict the&nbsp;inhuman
conditions of the slave&nbsp;ships and the many who&nbsp;did not survive the trip between West Africa and the Americas. This part of the triangular&nbsp;journey is commonly referred to as the "Middle Passage."

In 2007, three statues designed by artist Stephen Broadbent were unveiled at three ports that were part of the slave trade triangle. Each of the statues are 15-foot tall bronze
sculptures that portray two people embracing. The design is meant to&nbsp;symbolize a commitment to
forging new relationships between nations&nbsp;based on a recognition of shared humanity.&nbsp;Three wood benches surround the sculptures, a symbol of&nbsp;the triangular route of the slave trade.

Richmond’s Reconciliation Statue is located near the city’s former slave
market. Its inscription reads:

"Liverpool, England, The Benin Region of West Africa, Richmond, Virginia&nbsp;During the 18th Century, these three places reflected
on of the well-known triangles in the trade of enslaved Africans.&nbsp;Men, women and
children were captured&nbsp;in West and Central Africa and transported from
Benin and other countries. They were chained, herded, loaded on ships built in
England and transported through the unspeakable horrors of the Middle
Passage.&nbsp;They were imported
and exported in Richmond, Virginia and sold in other American cities. Their
forced labor laid the economic foundation of this nation."

The Atlantic slave trade followed a triangular pattern with ships transporting luxury items from Europe to Africa for sale to African merchants who sold captured slaves to the European traders. These same ships transported slaves to the Americas where they were sold to planters. The ships then loaded their cargo holds with goods from the Americas that were sold to traders in Europe. In 2007, three Reconciliation Statues were erected in Richmond, Liverpool (UK) and the West-African Republic of Benin. Together, these three statues recall the horrors of the slave trade. 

Reconciliation Statue

The owner of Lumpkin's Jail was Robert Lumpkin, a prominent slave owner and trader, who is described as being “both an evil man and a family man.” Although Lumpkin would submit slaves to countless horrors, he also married a former slave named Mary, with whom he fathered 5 children. All his kids, both boys and girls, were sent to school. When times were economically hard for him, he sent his life and children to Pennsylvania to avoid having them sold back into slavery to pay off his debt; and after he died his sole heir was his wife. At the same time, he led a brutalizing enterprise that thrived on tormenting fellow humans. Thousand of slaves came and went through Lumpkin's Jail, a complex that included four separate buildings: the Lumpkins’ home, a guest house, a kitchen/bar, and the slave pen. The latter was a two-story brick building, about forty feet long, which comprised the main jail area. The living conditions of these quarters were absolutely unfit for human habitation: there were neither windows nor toilets, and many slaves were crammed, often in shackles, in tiny rooms. Those who died were unceremoniously dumped into the area surrounding the jail.  The buildings in Lumpkin's complex were all demolished in 1876, and it wasn’t until archaeological excavations began in the mid-2000s that the foundations of the jailhouse were discovered. Archeologists also found numerous items such as toys, clothes, and shoes, although none of the artifacts traditionally associated with slave-holding were found in the area, such as iron bars or whipping rings. However, we knoe they were in use as Anthony Burns, a slave who was held in this complex, managed to escape and tell his story to an biographer.  Following the beginning of the Civil War, the slave-trading business in Virginia was booming. However, Virginia kept slave-trading quiet.  Robert Lumpkin was one of the popular slave jail owners in Richmond. Robert Lumpkin was “the scapegoat” for many other slave dealers and traders. Previous owners, Bacon Tait and Lewis A. Collier played a huge role in the building and improvement of the jail. Tait, the original owner of the site, sold the property to Collier who then improved the property that was worth “$1,500” to be worth “$6,000 by 1840” (Laird). Collier, who was also interested in slave trading, improved the building by adding another story and enlarging the jail that was once small. Collier, however, lost the jail to the bank after failing to repay his loan. The property was then sold to Robert Lumpkin. The jailhouse consisted of four buildings that had various purposes such as the kitchen, Lumpkin’s home, and the slave jail. Within the slave jail, many of the slaves were kept for holding or punishment. Lumpkin charged slave buyers/traders a fee for however long their slave was being kept in the jail site. Many of the slaves that were being purchased were “often being relocated to the lower south” states Maurie D. McInnis (McInnis). Some slaves were kept in jail after being sold because there was no one to march them down to the south. In addition to the slave jail, there were also border houses for slave buyers to dine and rest. Mary Lumpkin was one of Robert Lumpkin’s slaves. Robert grew fascinated with her and continued to pursue her. Because Mary was a slave, she was not able to consent and was forced to have relations with Robert. “At the raw age of 13, Mary Lumpkin conceived Robert’s first child” states Jenna Dawkins (Dawkins). Over time Mary grew to have 5 children with Robert Lumpkin. Mary Lumpkin had a lighter complexion and could read and write, as a slave she was very valuable. Because of her strong value, and Robert lacked funds, he sent Mary and their 5 children to Philadelphia. After the death of Robert Lumpkin, Mary was left money along with the property that once was the slave jail.  The slave jail soon came to an end after the end of the Civil War. Slavery was abolished and it was illegal to have slaves. Robert Lumpkin soon died after and his property was given to his wife, Mary Lumpkin. Matthew Laird states, “Mary met Reverend Nathaniel Colver, a representative of the National Theological Institute in May 1867” (Laird). After leasing the building to him, Reverend Colver used it as a school for African Americans for almost 4 years. The property was then sold, and the jail was demolished and buried. The remains of the once slave jail can now be seen at the Richmond Slave Trail.

Also known as "The Devil's Half Acre," Lumpkin's Jail was at the same time a slave holding facility, an auction house, and the home of the Lumpkin family. Before the Civil War, Richmond was the most important slave-trading hub outside of New Orleans, and Richmonders would bring their slaves to this place in order to have them broken, tortured, or auctioned. Prior to ownership of Robert Lumpkin, Lewis A. Collier, a slave dealer, improved the intricate slave site that he used for his slave-trading business. In total, the slave jail operated from the 1830s to 1865 marking the end of the Civil War. Robert Lumpkin held many slaves in this jailhouse and even charged dealers to hold their slaves at this site. Eventually, Robert Lumpkin died and left his property to his “lover”, Mary Lumpkin, an enslaved woman. The remaining of the property can now be seen on the Richmond Slave Trail.

Lumpkin's Jail Site 

First African Baptist Church was founded in 1841 and although the&nbsp;law of that time required the white leadership, free and enslaved African Americans served as deacons. Frist African Baptist Church was one of the first churches led by Black members in Virginia and the church was an anchor for the African American community prior to the Civil War. The church leaders had to be careful to avoid the appearance of radicalism and laws prohibited African Americans from gathering or holding meetings in public without whites being present after several slave rebellions were connected to Black congregations.&nbsp;

In 1867, aDr. James Holmes became the first Black minister of the church. Under Dr. James Holmes’ ministry, 5,800 people were baptized including&nbsp; John Jasper, Henry “Box” Brown, and Maggie L. Walker. Under Dr. Holmes leadership, the original "white" church building was torn down and a new building was completed in 1876. Pastor Holmes passed away in November 1900 after 32 years of service, and the church was draped in Black for 30 days to pay homage to Holmes.On the night of June 2, 1904, the church was almost destroyed by a fire that began in a&nbsp;neighboring theater. Pastor W. T. Johnson said, “I want to thank God that this house of worship was spared to us. I would, were the organist of the church here, hold a service of Thanksgiving at this time.”2 A fireman at the scene was also an organist, and he performed a concert on the spot. The organ remained in the church until the church moved in the fifties.

The building&nbsp;was sold to the Medical College of Virginia for $60,000 in 1955, and the&nbsp;congregation relocated to northern Richmond the following year. The old church building was converted into offices and classrooms and is now the Randolph Minor Hall at the Virginia Commonwealth University. Some prominent visitors to the church are Jefferson Davis, who gave his last speech as the President of the Confederacy at the church. The African American educator Booker T. Washington also gave a lecture in this building.&nbsp;

Richmond's First African Baptist Church traces its roots back to 1780 when enslaved people attended services with their owners. In 1841, white members of the First Baptist Church sold the original church building to its approximately 1,000 African members, both free and enslaved, for $65,000. The original building was replaced in 1876 with a building that is now the Randolph Minor Hall at Virginia Commonwealth University. The current First African Baptist Church is located at 2700 Hanes Ave in northern Richmond.

 First African Baptist Church; Randolph Minor Hall 

The Virginia Civil Rights Memorial commemorates the protests that lead to the desegregation of schools in Virginia. Barbara Johns was a 16 year old girl fed up with the substandard facilities at&nbsp;R.R. Morton Highs School. R.R. Morton did not receive regular funding as it was an African American High School during a time when segregation was still rampant.&nbsp;After weeks of planning,&nbsp;Barbara Johns faked notes to the teachers of the school noting an assembly in the auditorium. Johns took the stage and convinced the students that they were being treated unfairly because of the color of their skin. She led a walkout of over 400 students.&nbsp; This walkout caught the attention of the NAACP lawyers who were working throughout the country on issues of race. A federal suit was brought to Richmond,&nbsp;Virgina. The&nbsp;Davis v. Prince Edward illustrated the inequalities between White and African American educations. After significant deliberation the Supreme Court&nbsp;officially ended segregation in public schools throughout the United States.&nbsp; The Virginia Civil Rights Memorial was constructed on the grounds of the Virginia Capitol in 2008. The artsit commissioned for this was Stanley Bleifeld.&nbsp;The memorial depicts various civil rights leaders coming forward from the granite base. The base includes quotes from Barbara Johns and Thurgood Marshall. The sculpture of the monument is notable because it depicts the figures more naturally than many monuments.&nbsp;

Located in the shadow of the former Confederate Capitol, the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial commemorated the long movement that led to the desegregation of Virginia's schools. The memorial was opened in July 2008. It features eighteen statues of leaders in the civil rights movement, including high school student Barbara Johns. At the age of 16, Barbara Johns lead a high school walkout to protest the inequality of segregated schools. 

Virginia Civil Rights Memorial

From the perspective of many white residents, Richmond's department store lunch-counter became a nostalgic symbol of the Old South-especially as it shared the name of the capitol of the Confederacy. From the perspective of African Americans and progressive whites, these Jim Crow practices were part of a past that needed to end. From the perspective of area business owners, negative press coverage reduced the likelihood of visitors coming to the city. After multiple demonstrations and arrests, some white business leaders hoped that the lunch counter would end its stand against integration. With the added pressure of a pending federal court case, the Richmond Room agreed to serve all customers regardless of race.&nbsp; Despite the eventual success of the protest, the students who participated in the sit-ins were&nbsp;arrested and&nbsp;charged with trespassing. With the help of local Black leaders, the students&nbsp;appealed their conviction by&nbsp;arguing that they were exercising their free speech&nbsp;by protesting segregation. Although the Virginia Supreme Court upheld their conviction, the students won their appeal to the United States Supreme Court in Raymond B. Randolph, Jr. v. Commonwealth of Virginia.&nbsp;Three years after their arrest, the Supreme Court decision reversed their convictions and cleared the&nbsp;participants record of criminal charges. &nbsp;Virginia Union University commemorated the 50th anniversary of the sit-in in 2010 by honoring the&nbsp;participants and placing a marker at the site&nbsp;where the&nbsp;department store was located.More on the Thalimers Sit-in and the "Richmond 34"&nbsp;by Timothy Hagy (duplicate Clio entry dated 12/1/14):"Before the 34 men’s arrest at Thalimers, VUU students had been engaging in sit-in protests all over town in Richmond without major incidents. They had not reached Thalimers Department Store &nbsp;– it was an upper-crust establishment that appeared immune. The first attempted sit-in at Thalimers was on February 20, two days before the major event. That day William B. Thalimer Jr., the owner and acting manager, simply closed the lunch counter.&nbsp; Thalimer reacted differently when the students became bolder and marched to the 4th floor “Richmond Room,” an upscale diner reserved for the affluent.&nbsp; Police arrived at Thalimers with German Shepherds and arrested the&nbsp;peaceful "Richmond 34."&nbsp;President of VUU, Dr. Samuel Proctor, expressed dismay and shock at the news of the arrests at the sit-in. Later it was revealed that Proctor was intimately involved with the planning of the sit-in at Thalhimers with his students. At the time he felt that it would be unwise for him to endanger funding for his predominately African-American school by endorsing such a controversial protest. The students were all bailed out of jail by money raised locally by civil rights activists, money from the NAACP, and by VUU Vice President Allix B. James using his home as collateral.Three days after the incident the Governor of Virginia, J. Lindsay Almond Jr., passed emergency legislation that created harsher punishment for trespassing and added a provision for conspiracy charges to be attached. Even Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, commented on the protests in Richmond calling them “the work of Communist Party functionaries”.Thalimer and another rival department store owner had had enough by the end of a year of the boycott. Thalimer remarked that it was the only time his business had shown negative growth since his great-great-grandfather had established the business. Thalimer and his rival/partner decided in secret to quietly desegregate their main-floor lunch counters, perhaps as Thalimer claimed: to not offend his customer base. In the end Mr. Thalimer called the civil rights leaders of the Richmond community and invited them to a dinner in the 4th-floor of Thalimers in the “Richmond Room” thus ending the boycott and effectively desegregating much of the Richmond business district."<div> </div>

On February 22, 1960, 34 African American students from Virginia Union University were arrested after protesting racial discrimination at Thalhimers Department Store in Richmond. Thalhimers operated a chain of high-end department stores and the Richmond location operated a restaurant that refused to serve African Americans, even after many of the other lunch counters in department stores ended their policy of segregation. The 34 students were then known, and still are, as the "Richmond 34."

Civil Rights Sit-In at the Richmond Room, February 22, 1960 (The "Richmond 34")

The Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) was founded in 1898 as an organization based on the ideals of democracy and brotherhood. It came about when a group of theater owners in Seattle gathered to discuss a strike by musicians. The group was first called the "Seattle Order of Good Things." Later, the organization was renamed after their mascot, the bald eagle. The Grand Aerie (an aerie is an eagle's nest) was headed by an elected president. Members and their families received medical and funeral benefits. The group was instrumental in lobbying for workers' reform laws; the first Ladies Auxiliary was formed in 1926.The Richmond Chapter of FOE, "Dixie Aerie 338," came about in 1903 with 101 members and John F. Heintz as president ("worthy president"). The group leased meeting space at W. Broad and Fourth Streets and elected John B. Bliley as the next chapter president; the Bliley family operated a local funeral home. Chapter membership was limited to White males aged twenty-one to fifty; new members received a free medical exam by the Aerie's chosen physician. The Dixie Aerie held an annual memorial service at Broad and Fourth in January 1910 where the national president of the organization. Frank E. Hering, of South Bend, Indiana, was slated to speak. The program for the evening included an opening prayer and musical performances by singers or the Bijou Orchestra. The chapter's "past worthy president" in 1910 was Frank W. Cunningham; Maurice A. Powers was the president. The "worthy physicians" were Dr. James P. Roy and Dr. Leo W. Staton. Membership had grown to about 300 by then but tripled by 1913. New applications often were denied because of lack of meeting space for large numbers. James A. Warde was chapter president in 1913.The Richmond architectural firm Asbury and Whitehurst was hired to design the chapter's new clubhouse to be located on the corner of E. Marshall and N. Third Streets. Plans called for the basement to hold a rathskeller, billiard parlor, and cafe, with offices on the first floor and lodge quarters on the top floor. A large auditorium and ballroom were slated to be on the second floor. The new building was expected to cost $27,400 to build; a building inspector issued a permit for construction in late November 2013. The cornerstone was laid on March 21st, 1914; Joseph Hayo was the general contractor. The previous building standing at this spot was sold in September 1913 with the condition that it be razed within thirty days. The FOE South Richmond chapter was invited to use the new clubhouse. The state convention of Eagles was slated to be held in Richmond in 1915.The FOE sold the clubhouse in the late 1980s, and it became office space. The building became a listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Currently, the Marshall Street Apartments building was vacant before it was renovated into eleven apartments and a commercial space in 2005. The building currently holds sixteen apartments featuring hardwood floors, exposed brick, and large windows.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) building was designed by Richmond architects Asbury and Whitehurst and constructed in 1914 for the fraternal organization's local headquarters. The Neoclassical Revival style brick building was three stories tall on a raised basement. The main entrance on Marshall St. featured a recessed doorway with a mosaic of the FOE logo on the vestibule floor. The FOE sold the clubhouse in the late 1980s, and it became office space. The building became a listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Currently home to Marshall Street Apartments, the building was vacant before it was renovated into eleven apartments and a commercial space in 2005.

Fraternal Order of Eagles Building (Marshall Street Apartments)

The St. Luke Penny Savings Bank&nbsp;was underwritten by the post-bellum Independent Order of St. Luke, an organization that helped pay for funeral and other expenses for low-income and Black community members after the Civil War. The bank's core value was to provide African Americans access to loans for college and entrepreneurial ventures. Maggie&nbsp;Walker’s vision, like that of her contemporary civil rights activists, was to keep wealth within the Black community in and around Richmond.&nbsp;After Walker founded
St. Luke’s in 1903, it steadily increased its deposits.&nbsp; By the time of the stock market crash in
1929, St. Luke’s had enough assets to absorb all of the other Black-owned banks
around the Richmond area.&nbsp; The resulting
merger was named Consolidated Bank and Trust.&nbsp;
From that time on it steadily increased its wealth and assets as well as
opening seven new branches in Virginia.&nbsp; The
bank still rested on its core principle of making loans to lower and
middle-class customers.&nbsp; When Walker opened the bank in 1903, it was located on 199 St. James Street.&nbsp;In 1905, the bank was moved to a new location (112 Broad Street), where more business would be gain. The bank at this location also served as am emporium (store). Unfortunately, in 1910 the bank collapsed due to embezzlement by an employee, unsecured loans and lax operations. Even though this shattered the confidence of most of Richmond's Black population, the bank's Board of Directors approved the measure to reopen, this time at the corner of First and Marshall Streets.&nbsp;When Walker made plans to consolidate her bank with the Second Street Savings Bank and Commercial Bank and Trust in 1929, the bank moved for the final time, this time to it's current location.&nbsp;

In later years, the Consolidated Bank came into financial
trouble.&nbsp; Its then-current CEO and
President, Vernard William Henley, a highly successful African American and
civil rights activist, made some high-risk loans that resulted in defaults that
damaged the bank.&nbsp; Two years after
Hensley’s retirement (with 30 years of service) in 2001, nearly all of
Consolidated’s branches were closed or sold.&nbsp;
Henley’s successor, Leon L. Scott, was met by further financial trouble
with state and federal regulators for unscrupulous loans made to
Mechanicsville, VA investors. &nbsp;In the
last year of Consolidated Bank’s autonomous structure it recorded a net loss of
$4.5 million.&nbsp; The bank was then sold to
Abigail Adams, a female-owned bank based in Washington, D.C.; this marked the
end of the bank’s historic run as the oldest Black-owned savings institution.

The Adams branch kept Consolidated as a subsidiary and thus it
retained its original name.&nbsp; Unfortunately,
Adams Bank also experienced financial problems not much later and was absorbed
by Premier Bank based in West Virginia.&nbsp; Premier
quickly absorbed Adams and Consolidated Bank. Now, the original St. Luke’s Penny Savings Bank building in Richmond is
identified as the “Consolidated Division” of Premier Bank to retain customer
familiarity with the branch. &nbsp;&nbsp;The Maggie Walker National Historic Site in Richmond&nbsp;honors Walker as a pioneering Black businesswoman&nbsp;and civil rights activist.&nbsp;

The St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia was established in 1903 by Maggie L. Walker, an African-American civil rights activist and educator.  Walker was the first woman to establish and head any financial institution at the time. She asked of her community: “Let us put our money together; let us use our money; let us put our money out at usury among ourselves, and reap the benefit ourselves.”1 Later part of the Consolidated Bank and Trust, the bank served as the oldest Black-owned and operated savings institution until 2005 when it was absorbed by Premier Financial Bancorp Inc. based in Huntington, WV.  The building still stands on 329 N 1st St. in Richmond, the final location of the bank, and operates as Premier Bank: Consolidated Division. 

Maggie L. Walker establishes St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, 1903.

The Jackson Ward district in Richmond Virginia was one of the largest and most economically successful and self-sustaining African American communities in the South. Jackson Ward was added to the list of National Historic Landmark Districts in 1976. The district was home to entrepreneurs like Maggie Lena Walker, the first African American woman to open a bank. It was also home to civil rights activists like Oliver Hill Sr. and Spottswood Robinson.  At the center of this community was the second street, otherwise known as “The Deuce" and home to many Black-owned businesses such as the Hippodrome Theater and Egglestone Hotel. The theater was originally built in 1914 as a project led by Walter Coulter, Amanda Thorpe, and Charles Somma. Somma helped build and operate numerous theaters in and around Richmond, including the Byrd Theater. He remained the primary owner of the Hippodrome until 1937 when the theater was purchased by Abe Lichtman.The theater reopened in 1947 following the fire of 1945. During these years, the theater hosted entertainers such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington. Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, James Brown and hometown favorite Billy “Bojangles” Robinson.The theater and other historic buildings such as the adjacent Taylor Mansion are owned by Ronald Stallings. Stallings inherited over one hundred pieces of Jackson Ward Property after his father's death including St. Luke Penny Bank and a few other more historically significant buildings in the community. Over the last three decades, Stallings has worked to restore and rebuild the district with several redevelopment projects including the $12 million investment in the Hippodrome.

Otherwise known as the "Hipp," this theater was the heart of the Second Street entertainment district known as "the Deuce." The Hippodrome theater was one of Richmond's premier theaters following its 1914 opening and evolved from a vaudeville theater to a movie theater in its early decades. It was also part of the Jackson Ward district in Richmond that earned the nickname "The Harlem of the South." The theater served African American patrons and provided a dignified space for Black performers in the era of segregation. Since its establishment, the "Hipp" has survived adversity including a 1945 fire and declining business that might have spelled the end of the historic building. Thanks to local community members and preservationists, the Hippodrome operates as a restaurant and a venue for live performances and private events.

The Hippodrome Theater

Maggie Lena Walker (Draper)
was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 15, 1864. Her mother, Elizabeth Draper,
was a former slave and an assistant cool in the Church Hill mansion of
Elizabeth Van Lew. Maggie was educated in Richmond’s public schools. After she
graduated, she taught grade school for 3 years. Her career ended in 1886 when
she married a man by the name of Armstead Walker Jr. Her husband was
accidentally killed in 1928. She was required to use a wheelchair in 1928 when
she continued to suffer from her diabetic condition. She remained actively
committed to her life’s work; chairman of the bank and leader of the
Independent Order of St. Luke until her death on December 15th, 1934 at the age
of 70.

In
her teenage years, she joined her local council of Independent Order of St.
Luke. In 1889, she held a position at right Worthy Grand Secretary until her
death. In 1895, she began rising quickly through the ranks of the Order,
becoming Grand Deputy Matron. She established a youth arm of the order to
inspire social consciousness in young African Americans. In 1899, she became
the Order of St. Luke’s Grand Secretary. The Order of St. Luke was on the verge
of bankruptcy until 1901 when she gave a speech about her plans to save it. In
1902, she established a newspaper, The
St. Luke Herald, to promote close communication between the Order and the
public. In speeches, she encouraged financial self-sufficiency: “Let us put our
money together, let us use our money; let us use our money out as usury among
ourselves, and reap the benefits ourselves.” To further this vision, she opened
St. Luke Emporium, a department store offered African American women
opportunities for work. The store also gave the Black community access
to&nbsp;cheaper goods.&nbsp;

She
was the first African American woman in the United States to found a bank. In
1903, she found the St. Luke Penny Saving Bank. She served there as the first
African American bank president in the United States. She later agreed to serve
as a chairman of the board of directors. She did so when the bank merged with the
Consolidated Bank and Trust Company; the bank has served as the oldest
continually African American-operated bank in the United States. She was also
active in civic groups. She was an advocate of African American women’s rights,
and also served on the board of trustees for several different women’s groups:
The National Association of Colored Women (NAAW), the Virginia Industrial
School for Girls, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP).

After
her death, her legacy remained. She was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in
Richmond, Virginia. The National Park Service purchased her home on East Leigh
Street in the Jackson Ward neighborhood, known as the “Harlem of the South,” in
1979. Today, her home is preserved through the Park Service as a tribute of her
legacy of vision, determination, and courage.

Maggie L. Walker (Draper) was a civil rights movement advocate, educator, banker and business owner. She was a president at St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, editor at St. Luke Herald, and a 3rd grade teacher. She devoted her life to civil rights advancement, educational opportunities for Jim Crow-era African American women, and economic empowerment. She was born on July 15th, 1864 and passed away in 1979 from diabetes. Her home is now a National Historic Site. 

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

Maggie Lena Mitchell was born in Richmond, VA on July 15,
1867.&nbsp; Her mother, a former-slave, worked
for Elizabeth Van Lew, a Civil War spy for the Federals.&nbsp; Young Mitchell and her family grew up in the
Church Hill Mansion for the Van Lewis. 

As a teenager young Mitchell joined the Independent Order of
St. Luke, a fraternal burial society that helped the sick and elderly in the
Richmond community.&nbsp; Her teenage years up
to 1886 were spent as an educator in a Richmond public school.&nbsp; She married Armstead Walker in 1886. Unfortunately,
a Virginia State Law at the time barred married women from teaching school and
she had to resign from her position. 

She worked her way up in the Order of St. Luke and soon had
reached the high title of “Right Worthy Grand Secretary” in the organization in
1899.&nbsp; In 1902 Walker established her own
newspaper, “The Saint Luke Herald.” Just a year later in 1903 Mrs. Walker
chartered the first female African-American savings institution in the US
called the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. 

Throughout this time Maggie Walker served on the board of
trustees of many influential organizations: National Association of Colored
Women, Virginia Industrial School for Girls, and the Virginia Interracial
Commission.&nbsp; She was served as vice
president of the NAACP local affiliate in Richmond.&nbsp;

The Maggie L. Walker Home is a National Historic Landmark that features a visitor’s center and exhibits within Mrs. Walker’s home. The home includes many of its original furnishings as well as exhibits that share the history of Maggie Walker's life as a renowned educator, civil rights activist, and entrepreneur. It is located inside the Jackson Ward District of Richmond, a neighborhood that is sometimes referred to as "the birthplace of Black capitalism." Walker's home was one of the hubs of the business community. She chartered a bank, established a newspaper, and ran a successful store in Richmond.

Maggie L. Walker Home

The Jackson Ward District has twelve historic sites located
within its forty blocks including the home of civil rights activist and entrepreneur
Maggie L. Walker and the larger-than-life statue of famous actor and
Richmond-native Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. The 40 blocks are contained between
4th Street, Marshall Street, Smith Street, and the Richmond-Petersburg
turnpike. The maintenance and revitalization efforts of this historic district
is provided by the Historic Jackson Ward Association established in the 1980s
and the Jackson Commons Project - their web addresses are provided beneath the
article. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Jackson Ward was officially named in 1871 by the
Italian, Jewish, and German immigrants who first settled the area. The
influence of the European architectural style is evident in many of the
historic homes. After the Civil War ended many free African-Americans, some
ex-slaves, established residence in Jackson Ward and developed what they later called
“a city within a city”. 

The Jackson Ward was an economy all its own. It boasted its
African-American owned banks, hospital, barbers, grocers, and shops. It led
many to refer to the neighborhood as “Black Wall Street” for its
self-sufficient economy. Maggie L. Walker established the first female,
African-American owned and operated bank in the US in Jackson Ward on so-called
“Quality Row” where the most successful African-Americans lived and did
business.

The neighborhood was rattled in the 1950s by a number of
legislative issues. The Interstate was slated to be built through the
neighborhood and as a result many long-time community members were forced to
leave. Later the Interstate plans were reversed, but the community loss was
irreversible. Next, federally mandated low-income housing was scheduled to be
built inside Jackson Ward and it was coupled with a revitalization effort of
the Richmond business district that pulled resources from the Ward. In the
1960s after the success of civil rights activists pressing for desegregation in
Richmond the Ward received some economic blowback. As businesses around
Richmond were forced to integrate it brought the Jackson Ward small businesses
into competition with the whole city of Richmond. The result was a dramatic
decrease in revenue and subsequently pulled the Ward down from its highest
point. It has since become a beautiful historic district with rich culture of
music and the arts.&nbsp;

Known as the “Harlem of the South,” Jackson Ward was home to many influential African-American families after the American Civil War. The neighborhood spans forty city blocks and contains a rich history that is celebrated by the annual Second Street Festival in October. There are also periodic walking tours hosted by the local Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia on Clay Street. In 1978, the neighborhood was declared a National Historic Landmark District. 

Historic Jackson Ward District 

An ex-slave named Mary Prout established the Independent Order of St. Luke in 1869 in Baltimore; the society provided members financial help surrounding illness and death. The benevolent society's motto was "Love, purity, and charity." A Richmond chapter was established in the late 1800s by Reverend James Holmes and Deacon William White of the First African Baptist Church. Maggie Lena Walker (1867-1934) joined the Order in 1881 while in high school and became its executive secretary in 1899; she was instrumental in getting the Order to move to Richmond. The Richmond home of Walker (location) is a National Historic Landmark (also a Clio entry). Walker started a weekly magazine for the organization, the St. Luke Herald, in 1901."St. Luke's Hall" was constructed for the Independent Order of St. Luke to replace its hall in the Church Hill neighborhood. The original part of the building, as constructed from 1902 to 1903, was Edwardian style and designed by John H. White. The main block of the three-story, tan brick building, fronting on St. James St., featured office space on the first floor and the group meeting rooms on the second and third stories (see the 1905 Sanborn map image). A two-story brick wing off of the south side of the building was used as a printing press, with the electric power "dynamo" in the basement. On the south side of the building was a garden. The hall was the site of many group meetings and events. The Union Mercantile and Manufacturing Association held a public meeting in the hall in late March 1903. The Negro Agricultural and Industrial Society of Virginia met there for two days in February 1905.Maggie Walker set up her office in the new building, which she occupied until her death in 1934. In 1903, Walker established St. Luke's Penny Savings Bank in this building; the bank charter was granted in late July 1903 and the bank's motto was "Bring it all back home." Walker was the first African American woman to found a bank and the first female bank president in the U.S. Two banks had been founded in Richmond by African American men by then but were operated from private homes. The bank opened on November 2, 1903, with a grand celebration of music and speeches. Over $9,000 was deposited on the first day, with depositors from as far away as New York. Emmett C. Burke was the first cashier and Mary Dawson was assistant cashier. Membership in the Order nearly tripled from 1899 to 1910, reaching 20,000. The bank was forced to relocate when a new law in 1910 prohibited banks and social clubs under the same roof. The bank moved in 1911 to a new building at First and Marshall Streets; there is a Clio entry tied to the new location of the bank (329 N. 1st St.).St. Luke's Hall was remodeled and enlarged from 1915 to 1920 under the plans of Virginia Union University professor Charles T. Russell. The main block was widened with a new (eighth) bay to the south and a fourth floor. Local contractor Henry J. Moore was the builder. The southern wing was demolished. An electrical fire started on a rooftop elevator house in early January 1923 and spread through the roof and part of the fourth floor. Firemen extinguished the fire, but the interior suffered water damage, including the "fine oak desks." In the printing area, the linotype machine was quickly fixed; records were not lost since they were housed in "expensive safe cabinets of the latest design"; the damage was covered by insurance. St. Luke's Penny Savings Bank later merged with the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company. A meeting of stockholders of Consolidated and of the Commercial Bank and Trust Company was held in St. Luke Hall on December 10th, 1930, where the two banks voted to merge. Mrs. Walker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Consolidated, made a speech of welcome to the new partners. The new bank was headed by Burke as President and Walker as head of the Board of Directors.After Walker's death in 1934, her office in St. Luke Hall was preserved as she left it. James and Margaret Stallings purchased the "St. Luke Building" from the Order in 1971. In 1981 the building was documented for the National Register of Historic Places nomination. Mr. Stallings was a leading developer of historic properties in the Jackson Ward area. The long-vacant building was still owned by the Stallings family in 2018 when a multi-million-dollar project was begun to renovate the building into apartments with ground-floor commercial space. The twelve apartments, the work of developer Charles Ayers Jr. of River City Ventures, were ready for occupants in early 2020, along with two more apartments in an attached annex. In late 2020, the Stallings family donated thousands of archival records of Mrs. Walker to the National Park Service.

Richmond's St. Luke Building was constructed between 1902 and 1903 and then enlarged in the late 1910s. Today, it is the oldest office building in Richmond connected to the city's Black community. The office building was the site of Maggie L. Walker's private office, where she oversaw the Independent Order of St. Luke until she died in 1934. The hall was used for group meetings of organizations and the building was the original location of the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903. The bank moved to a new building in 1911 due to a new law prohibiting banks and social clubs in the same building. The Stallings family purchased the building in 1971. In 1982, the St. Luke Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The long-vacant building was renovated into a dozen apartments from 2018 to 2020 by the Stallings family, with the main offices of the St. Luke Legacy Center, a nonprofit community center, occupying the ground-floor commercial space.

African American History of Richmond

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information