The Valentine Hosts 5th Annual Religious Freedom Day Celebration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 4, 2023

Contact:
Emaline Kayer-Solomon
Public Relations & Marketing
ekayer-solomon@thevalentine.org 

The Valentine Hosts 5th Annual Religious Freedom Day Celebration

RICHMOND- The Valentine and Valentine First Freedom Center are excited to announce the 5th annual celebration of Religious Freedom Day on Tuesday, January 17th at 6:00 p.m. as part of the new lecture series Life, Liberty & Happiness: New Perspectives on Founding Ideas. In anniversary of the signing of the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom, the Valentine welcomes museum guests, local religious leaders, and members of the public for a discussion of the legacy of religious liberty and what “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” means today.

Remarks will be provided by Dr. Sabrina Dent DMin, Director of the Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation – a theological tank and education organization that provides advancing justice issues. A lifelong advocate for human rights and social justice, Dr. Dent addresses the complexities of religious freedom, religion and public policy, race, religion, and American Life.

Life, Liberty & Happiness

Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

The Valentine, 1015 E. Clay Street Richmond, VA

 

“Life, Liberty & Happiness: New Perspectives on Founding Ideas” is a lecture series that explores the evolution and contemporary relevance of America’s founding philosophies and highlights scholars whose work contributes to reinterpreting what “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” means today.

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About the Valentine

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. Located in Shockoe Slip at the site where the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was signed in 1786, the Valentine First Freedom Center is dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of religious freedom in America.

 

 

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The Valentine Continues 10th Year of Community Conversations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 28, 2022

Contact:
Emaline Kayer-Solomon
Public Relations & Marketing
ekayer-solomon@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Continues 10th Year of Community Conversations

RICHMOND -The Valentine is proud to present the final two conversations of the 10th annual community conversations of “Controversy/History.” In the 2022-2023 series, the Valentine has revisited the most controversial, heavy-hitting topics in the Richmond Region, including health, transportation, and housing. The Valentine’s final two conversations will delve into two fundamental topics impacting Richmond today:  Education and the Environment and our Health.

The upcoming Controversy/History on “Coming Up Short: Richmond Needs Schooling” will take place Tuesday, January 3 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at The Len. Speakers for the event are:

  • Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Leadership
  • Amy Wentz, Director of Outreach and Engagement, The Commonwealth Institute
  • Christal Corey, Franklin Military Academy Teacher, Richmond Public Schools Top 5 Teacher for 2022

The final Controversy/History on “Environment Reckoning in Richmond” will take place Tuesday, February 7 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at The Science Museum of Virginia. Speakers for the event are:

  • Jeremy Hoffman, The Science Museum of Virginia
  • Speaker from Richmond City Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities

The remaining 2022-2023 schedule is below. As the Valentine will be under construction, Controversy/History events will be held throughout the Richmond region.

Coming Up Short: Richmond Needs Schooling
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
The Len | 15 N 17th Street Richmond, Virginia

Public Spaces: Environmental Reckoning in Richmond
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
The Science Museum of Virginia | 2500 W Broad Street Richmond, Virginia

Controversy/History is sponsored by Wells Fargo. More information and online registration for events is available at https://thevalentine.org/events. General information about the series is available at thevalentine.org/controversyhistory.

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

 

 

 

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Winter Wander 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2022

Contact:
Emaline Kayer-Solomon
Public Relations & Marketing
ekayer-solomon@thevalentine.org

Winter Wander 2022

RICHMOND — The Valentine is excited to announce the return of the annual holiday event Winter Wander. Winter Wander will take place on Sunday, December 11, from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. We invite those throughout the Richmond Region to join us in celebration of the winter holidays in the Court End neighborhood! Historic sites will open their doors for a day of free admission and holiday festivities, and Clay Street will be filled with carriage rides, live music, crafts, and more.

Winter Wander is free and open to the public!

In partnership with Court End Council, Winter Wander will include free admission to the following historic sites:

–The Valentine: Children’s activities, refreshments, carriage rides, live entertainment on Clay Street, tours, and a silent dance party to kick off the holiday season.

– The Valentine First Freedom Center: Explore the history of religious freedom in Virginia at the Valentine First Freedom Center, located on the same corner where Virginia’s General Assembly met in secret during the American Revolution. The Valentine First Freedom Center will be open for self-guided tours.

– St. John’s Church: Open 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. for ticketed tours. Stop in the Visitor’s Center for shopping and refreshments. Visit Colonial Santa from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. inside the church.

-Mason’s Hall: Historic Masons’ Hall in Shockoe Bottom. Built in 1785 by founding fathers Edmund Randolph & John Marshall it is oldest continuously used Masonic lodge building in the Western Hemisphere.

-Virginia Executive Mansion: Stop by for an open house tour of Virginia’s Executive Mansion.

-John Marshall House: Stop by for an open-house of the Christmas in Early America tour; kid’s holiday crafts and warm refreshments.

-The American Civil War Museum’s White House of the Confederacy: Explore the first floor of the White House of the Confederacy and learn the history of the home with stationed interpretations.

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

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The Valentine Releases Valentine’s Meat Juice Bloody Mary Mix

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2022

Contact:
Meredith Mason, APR
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
mmason@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Releases Valentine’s Meat Juice Bloody Mary Mix

RICHMOND – The Valentine is releasing a spicy cocktail mixer adapted from the original Valentine’s Meat-Juice, invented by the museum’s founder Mann S. Valentine II in 1870. Valentine’s Meat Juice Bloody Mary Mix will be available for purchase at a launch party on November 17 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and will continue to be available in the museum gift shop until all bottles are sold. The launch party will include free tastings of the Bloody Mary Mix.

In 1870, Mann Valentine’s wife Ann fell ill, and her doctors were unable to find a cure. Mann Valentine toiled for weeks until he created a medicinal meat extract, made of slowly cooked beef, which he then pressed into a juice and mixed with egg whites. Ann recovered, and Mann Valentine patented the recipe.

Valentine’s Meat-Juice was an instant hit as both a dietary supplement and as a flavoring. In 1878, Mann Valentine took his Meat-Juice to the Paris Exposition. A few years later, it gained more popularity after President James A. Garfield took two teaspoons a day after he was shot in an 1881 assassination attempt. By the mid-20th century, grocery stores marketed it as a flavoring additive rather than a health tonic. The profits from the Meat-Juice business helped fund the museum, and the company remained in the Valentine family until it closed in 1986.

“If it weren’t for the popularity of Valentine’s Meat-Juice, the museum may not have had the start-up funds it needed,” said Director Bill Martin. “With our new Bloody Mary Mix, we’re continuing to tell this uniquely Richmond story by using all local vendors to create a new product by and for Richmonders. This idea has been in the works for many years, and we’re excited to finally be able to share it with our community.”

Each bottle of Valentine’s Meat Juice Bloody Mary Mix contains four servings and costs $6.50.

More information about Valentine’s Meat-Juice can be found here: https://thevalentine.org/meat-juice-shake-well-before-use/

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

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The Valentine Begins 10th Year of Community Conversations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2022

Contact:
Meredith Mason, APR
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
mmason@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Begins 10th Year of Community Conversations

RICHMOND – The Valentine is launching its 10th year of community conversations known as “Controversy/History.” In the 2022-2023 series, the Valentine will revisit the most controversial, heavy-hitting topics that are still relevant today, including health, transportation, housing, education and public spaces.

“Richmond keeps growing and evolving, but many of the core problems facing our community persist throughout our history,” Director Bill Martin said. “We’re excited to bring people together again to talk through some of these issues and how we can improve life in Richmond.”

Martin will co-host the series with Richmond entrepreneur and consultant Kelli Lemon. Controversy/History will run on the first Tuesday of the month from October-February, with each event featuring a panel of experts, advocates and government representatives. Many popular speakers from past Controversy/History events will return to give updates.

The first Controversy/History on “Disease and Disparity” will take place Tuesday, October 4 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the Valentine. Speakers for the kickoff event are:

  • Margo Webb, Director of Community Programs, Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts
  • Gonzalo Bearman, Chair, VCU Division of Infectious Diseases
  • Karen Legato, Executive Director, Health Brigade

The full 2022-2023 schedule is below. As the Valentine will be under construction starting in mid-October, all other Controversy/History events will be held throughout the Richmond region. Locations will be announced in the coming weeks.

Disease & Disparity
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
The Valentine

Where Are We Going? Changes in Transportation
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location TBD

The Crisis at our Doorstep: Housing in RVA
Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location TBD

Coming Up Short: Richmond Needs Schooling
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location TBD

Public Spaces: Environmental Reckoning in Richmond
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location TBD

Controversy/History is sponsored by Wells Fargo. More information and online registration for the kickoff event is available at thevalentine.org/event/controversy-history-disease-disparity. General information about the series is available at thevalentine.org/controversyhistory.

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

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The Valentine Extends Thursday Hours with New Special Events & Tours

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2022

Contact:
Meredith Mason, APR
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
mmason@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Extends Thursday Hours with New Special Events & Tours

RICHMOND – Beginning September 8, the Valentine will stay open late every Thursday until 7:00 p.m. for “Extra Thursdays.” After 5:00 p.m. each Thursday, admission to the museum will be free, and each week will feature a new special event or tour.

“Everybody needs a little ‘extra,’ and we wanted to add a time each week where we can bring some extra joy to Richmonders,” said Director Bill Martin. “During Extra Thursdays, we’re going to dance in the street, open up our student field trip programs to grown-ups, and give people an extra dose of history while we’re at it. We hope Extra Thursdays will give everyone the chance to visit and have fun with us.”

In addition to free admission, all special programs during Extra Thursdays will be free to give all Richmonders the opportunity to participate. Upcoming events include:

  • Hard Hat Happy Hours – every second Thursday of the month at 5:00 p.m.
  • Silent Dance Party – September 15 at 6:00 p.m.
  • Grown-Up Field Trip – October 20 at 5:00 p.m.

The Valentine is also offering new 30-minute tours every Thursday evening. At 5:30 p.m., a staff member will lead Richmond Short Stories: a personalized deep dive into several of their favorite objects in the main gallery, “This Is Richmond, Virginia.” Tours of the 1812 Wickham House will begin at 6:00 p.m.

More information and online registration for special events are available at thevalentine.org/events.

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

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Jefferson Davis Statue: Building a Better Understanding of Richmond’s History

This op-ed originally appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

By: Bill Martin, Director of the Valentine

The Valentine needs your help this summer. The Jefferson Davis statue from Monument Avenue is temporarily on display within our core exhibit, “This Is Richmond, Virginia,” while on loan from the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA).

The Valentine is committed to telling a complete story of our city, beyond just its well-known role in the Civil War. The Jefferson Davis statue — shown as it was when we last saw it in 2020 — is unique in its ability to explore so many aspects of Richmond history.

There are many voices around the events of 2020, and we need to hear them. Our mission is to collect, preserve and interpret Richmond stories, and that includes your opinions and ideas.

Like the graffiti left on the Berlin Wall after it was pulled down in 1989, this object showcases a crucial Richmond story at multiple points in time. It was erected as a pristine monument in 1907 and came down splattered in pink paint in 2020. Many different groups contributed in different ways to create the statue as it exists now, and the Valentine is committed to bringing together many different perspectives to build a future we all can be proud of.

This is not just about what happens to the statue. It is about how we can use this object and this moment to inform our future. Your responses to this exhibition will be provided to the city of Richmond as it moves forward with its planning for Monument Avenue, and to the BHMVA to inform the future of all Confederate monuments now in its care.

This significant work by Edward Valentine, the museum’s first president, will be shown in its unrestored form for the next six months. The reality is Confederate monuments have been removed, and there are a wide range of opinions about the events of 2020 that we hope to capture. We must use this moment to build a better understanding of history and figure out the best way forward — together.

There are a lot of difficult conversations ahead of us. So why would the Valentine exhibit this work? Wouldn’t it be easier to just leave the statue in storage?

The short answer is: Yes, it would. But we have a responsibility to focus on this particular object because of the Valentine’s own history and our commitment to telling the complete history of our region. As difficult as this is, we must.

The sculpture studio where Edward Valentine created the statue is located in the garden of the Valentine. Jefferson Davis came to this building in 1873 to have his face measured for a bust. Edward Valentine used those measurements three decades later, after Davis’ death, to create the statue for his monument.

Valentine used his clout and artistic skills to promote the Lost Cause — an effort after the Civil War that denied slavery’s central role in the conflict and glorified Confederates like Davis as heroes facing long odds. His legacy is part of our institution, and we must confront it with clear eyes.

Inside the Valentine, we’ve been talking about the prospect of bringing this statue back for a long time. In 2015, following the mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., we committed to a series of exhibitions, programs and challenging conversations in our community.

We also committed to moving the Davis statue to the Valentine, should we get the chance. The Monument Avenue Commission even suggested this move.

Since then, we’ve gathered feedback on how to do this right through surveys, focus groups, events and more. One of those surveys showed us that 80% of you would prefer to see the Confederate statues in museums with appropriate context, rather than displayed in public spaces or destroyed. Now that the Davis statue is in our gallery, we need your input as we continue to move forward.

Your response to Valentine’s statue will provide important documentation of this important moment in Richmond history, begin to move these conversations forward and inform the reinstallation of the Edward Valentine Sculpture Studio, and other future programs and exhibitions.

We hope your summer plans will include a visit to the Valentine. The Valentine is committed to your story and the story of Richmond.

To make sure that everyone has an opportunity to weigh in, we now offer free admission every Wednesday for as long as Jefferson Davis is on display. We also are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you are not able to visit, please fill out this survey and send it along to friends. We look forward to the many important conversations to come.

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The Valentine Unveils Temporary Exhibit of Jefferson Davis Statue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2022

Contact:
Meredith Mason, APR
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
mmason@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Unveils Temporary Exhibit of Jefferson Davis Statue

RICHMOND – The Valentine invites the public to view its newest display, the statue of Jefferson Davis, and give input on an upcoming exhibit, beginning June 22.

The Davis statue was erected in 1907 on Monument Avenue and pulled down by protesters on June 10, 2020. It is now on display within the Valentine’s core exhibit, “This Is Richmond, Virginia,” for at least six months while on loan from the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA). Visitor feedback will inform the Valentine’s interpretation of the Edward Valentine Sculpture Studio, where the Davis statue was created by the museum’s first president.

“This is a critical time to have a conversation about our shared history and light the path forward,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “We want to create a safe space for people to learn, be challenged and confront their assumptions and biases about Richmond’s troubling past. The Edward Valentine Sculpture Studio is an important piece of Richmond history, so it’s crucial for us to hear from the community on how to present complex topics like the Lost Cause and Jim Crow-era racism.”

A survey of community members conducted by the Valentine showed that 80% of respondents want to see Confederate monuments in museums with appropriate context, rather than displayed in public spaces or destroyed. Most of Richmond’s Confederate monuments were recently gifted by the City of Richmond to the BHMVA, which then temporarily loaned the Davis statue to the Valentine.

“This is an important opportunity for Richmonders to process both our recent and past history, and continue the dialogue about how we move from a Confederate past and the Lost Cause, to a righteous cause that realizes an inclusive and equitable future,” said Mayor Levar Stoney. “Conversations that happen around the toppled statue during this exhibit will help inform decisions about the future of public monuments and how we choose to commemorate and express our values as a community.”

To give all Richmonders an opportunity to participate in this conversation, the Valentine now offers free admission every Wednesday as long as the statue is on display.

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

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The Valentine Receives NEH Grant for Storage Upgrades

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2022

Contact:
Meredith Mason, APR
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
mmason@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Receives NEH Grant for Storage Upgrades

RICHMOND – On April 13, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced a grant awarding $408,761 to The Valentine for new collection storage materials. The grant will go toward the Valentine Moment Campaign, a yearslong effort to modernize the museum’s storage facilities and strengthen the presentation of Richmond history by analyzing all 1.6 million objects in its collection.

The Valentine received the full amount requested with a 3:1 matching requirement after demonstrating its commitment to preserving local history, addressing complex social issues and engaging diverse audiences. The grant will support a $1.6 million project to purchase and install compact storage cabinetry and fixtures in the main museum building, under the umbrella of the larger $16 million Valentine Moment Campaign.

“The Valentine Moment Campaign will fortify our museum to serve Richmonders for generations to come. The NEH’s generous grant is a crucial part of our efforts,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “This infrastructure upgrade allows us to safely store important historical objects, and our goal is to use these objects to engage, challenge and inspire our community.”

The Valentine was awarded the largest grant of any other humanities project in Virginia and is in the top 8% of the 245 grant recipients across the country.

More information about the NEH grants is available here: https://www.neh.gov/news/neh-announces-3317-million-245-humanities-projects-nationwide

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ABOUT THE VALENTINE

The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond’s 400-year history for over a century. Located in the heart of historic downtown, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.

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