The Valentine Richmond History Center Collection

Did you know that Richmond has an amazing art heritage?  Some of the best American artists have called the River City home.  Among them are father and son photography team George and Huestis Cook, makers of some of the most iconic photographic images of Virginia.  Other artists represented in our manuscript collections include important painters such as William James Hubard (1807-1862), Conrad Wise Chapman (1843–1910) and his father John Gadsby Chapman (1808–1889).  The History Center also has the records of the Craig House Art Center, an important organization for African-American art in the 1930’s. Read more

 

…Even Though We’d Like to Forget.

by Bill Martin, Director, Valentine Richmond History Center

As we begin our commemoration of the Civil War and Emancipation, it is helpful to reflect on the changes and similarities between our plans for next four years to the Civil War Centennial events in the 1960’s.  In a series of articles over next 4 years, I will be looking into the 1.6 million objects in the collections of the Valentine Richmond History Center to explore the common elements shared by both the Civil War and Emancipation 150 Committee and the Richmond Civil War Centennial Committee and the significant changes that have occurred in the ways we approach the Civil War and its impact today. Read more