By Paul Spicer

 

On the corner of St. Peter and Leigh Streets in Jackson Ward sits a place for dialogue. The castle-like building, originally constructed in 1895, once served as the base for the First Battalion Virginia Volunteers Infantry, Richmond’s first African American regiments. This spring the building, known as the Leigh Street Armory, became the new home of The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, a space for inspiring stories of black trailblazers from across the Commonwealth.

Founded in 1981 by Carroll Anderson, Sr., The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia serves as a place to discuss and celebrate black history while developing real-life strategies for the future. The museum’s new 12,000-square-foot home includes an interactive space for world-class exhibitions and programming that will lead to the next generation of leadership.

“For 34 years, the Black History Museum has been the only museum in Richmond focused on telling and preserving African American history in Virginia,” says Tasha Chambers, museum director. “We are charged with telling that story as it was central in shaping America’s history.” As the museum’s director, Chambers was instrumental in finalizing the renovation of the museum’s new location and expansion plans.

Today, the museum offers two floors of exhibitions that illustrate the African American experience. The first floor contains 46-inch interactive touchscreens, artifacts, a children’s area, and panels detailing Emancipation, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights eras. The second floor provides space for traveling exhibitions, such as the Funky Turns 40: Black Character Revolution exhibition, which runs through August.

For more information, visit blackhistorymuseum.org.