The Valentine Announces 2019 Richmond History Makers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2019

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Announces 2019 Richmond History Makers

RICHMOND – Today, the Valentine announced the Richmond History Makers honorees for 2019. The Richmond History Makers & Community Update highlights trailblazers in the community by celebrating their lasting contributions to the Greater Richmond region. The Valentine and the Capital Region Collaborative (CRC) are excited to partner again to highlight the work of the honorees listed below and provide data on the progress we have made as a region.

The Valentine will be honoring these individuals and organizations at the Richmond History Makers & Community Update at Virginia Union University’s Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 4 p.m.

The 2019 Richmond History Makers and their categories of distinction include:

Charleita M. Richardson – Creating Quality Educational Opportunities

Charleita M. Richardson is the President and CEO of Partnership for the Future, an organization that helps students with limited resources transition from high school to college and employment. As a native Richmonder and graduate of Richmond Public Schools, she considers it a personal mission to help students in this community reach their dream of going to college.  Charleita has always lived by the concept that “to whom much is given, much is required.”

Jill Hanken – Championing Social Justice

As the Virginia Poverty Law Center’s health attorney for over 30 years, Jill Hanken advocates for improvements and access to public health insurance programs, including the newly enacted Medicaid coverage that will serve up to 400,000 adults. Jill helps lead the Health Care for All Virginians coalition and directs the Enroll Virginia navigator project which offers outreach and application assistance for the federal marketplace and other health insurance coverage.

Dolly Hintz – Promoting Healthy Communities

Dolly Hintz helped found the Hospital Hospitality House (now The Doorways) in 1984 and was instrumental in expanding the organization’s reach as President of the board in 1994 with the purchase of a former hotel to accommodate more guests. Thanks to Dolly’s leadership, over 175,000 patients and their families from every state and 31 countries have received lodging and non-medical services in an emotionally supportive environment at little or no cost.

BikeWalkRVA – Improving Regional Transportation

Bike Walk RVA is Sports Backers’ advocacy initiative committed to making walking and biking safe, convenient, and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities. By engaging and empowering residents across the region to become their own advocacy leaders, Bike Walk RVA promotes the construction of multi-use trails, protected bike lanes, sidewalks and safe neighborhood streets so that walking and biking are part of daily transportation in the Richmond Region.

Candice Streett – Demonstrating Innovative Economic Solutions

Candice Streett is the executive director of Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation, an organization focused on providing Richmond residents thriving communities of choice and opportunity. For the past nine years, Candice Streett has led LISC’s economic development work, designing three small business programs and launching four financial opportunity centers, which connect residents to resources and coaching for sustainable businesses and financial stability.

Janine Bell & Richmond Triangle Players – Advancing Our Quality of Life (Two Honorees)

Janine Bell is the founder and artistic director of Elegba Folklore Society, an organization which offers immersive engagement in African and African American heritage for more than 60,000 people a year via annual festivals, performances, workshops, cultural history tours and visual arts. Elegba Folklore Society is celebrating its 29th year of programming as a pathway to enrichment, education, affirmation and joy; an experience that has been called “life changing.”

Founded in 1993, Richmond Triangle Players is the longest continuously operating professional theater in the mid-Atlantic devoted to works, artists and themes relevant to the LGBTQ experience. This work has earned the company both local and national acclaim. Executive Director Philip Crosby has guided the company over the last decade, moving it from an itinerant company to the cultural anchor of the Scott’s Addition neighborhood.

The winners were chosen by a Selection Committee made up of Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR) graduates and former honorees.

The Capital Region Collaborative (CRC) will also present regional data, providing attendees with the unique opportunity to honor Richmond’s hometown heroes while learning about the region’s progress. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased HERE. The 2019 Richmond History Makers & Community Update is presented by Dominion Energy.

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About the Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. Through collections, exhibitions and programs, the Valentine provides residents and tourists the opportunity to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. The Valentine offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. https://thevalentine.org/

About the Capital Region Collaborative
The Capital Region Collaborative brings together local government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve a shared vision for the Richmond Region. CRC partners recognize that the most pressing challenges extend across jurisdictional boundaries and that a cross-sector, cross-jurisdictional approach is needed to reach the region’s full potential. https://www.capitalregioncollaborative.com/

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New Exhibition Reimagines Monument Avenue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2019

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

New Exhibition Reimagines Monument Avenue

An international ideas competition challenged designers to rethink the historic boulevard

RICHMOND — A new exhibition debuting on Valentine’s Day will conceptually reimagine Richmond’s historic Monument Avenue. Opening at the Valentine on February 14, this exhibition follows the Valentine’s Monumental: Richmond’s Monuments (1607-2018), which examined the role and context of more than 40 monuments in and around the city.

Titled Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion, this new exhibition is the result of a multi-year collaboration with the Storefront for Community Design and the mOb studiO at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts.

“In keeping with our mission, the Valentine listened to the debate taking place in the wider Richmond community concerning monuments and what they mean to us today, and we responded with Monumental,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “We are excited to take this concept of important and timely community conversations a step further by hosting an exhibition that asks us to question the future of Monument Avenue.”

Last year, the Valentine, Storefront and VCUarts mOb studiO applied for and received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host an international design competition, which invited teams of planners, architects, designers, artists and individuals to conceptually re-imagine Monument Avenue.

“We received 70 proposals from architectural firms, centers of higher education, artists and many others,” said Camden Whitehead, mOb studiO co-founder and an associate professor of interior design at VCUarts. “We hope that the diverse ideas on display in this exhibition at the Valentine will demonstrate the unique power of design to serve as a catalyst for community discussion and contribute to the important dialogue about race, memory, the urban landscape and public art.”

Submitted concepts will be featured in the exhibition at the Valentine. A jury will also review the submissions and select finalists. The winning concepts, including a People’s Choice Award, will be announced on November 21 at a closing reception hosted at the Valentine.

As part of related programming, exhibition organizers are in the process of planning two community conversation events.

Additionally, from February 16 to April 20, the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design will host the results of a similar design competition specifically for Richmond students in an exhibition titled Monumental Youth.

“The Branch Museum is excited to have the Monumental Youth exhibition in our galleries, as it gives a voice to young people tackling large design ideas in thoughtful and exciting ways,” said Branch Museum Executive Director Penny Fletcher. “In addition, it addresses a pressing design challenge confronting our community and many others – how can we make public spaces, designed a century or more ago, relevant and accessible today? We are proud to be showcasing this important and contemplative work from students in and around Richmond. The Branch Museum is dedicated to bringing exciting and challenging design thinking to our community, and the students represented in this exhibition have done that beautifully.”

Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion closes at the Valentine on December 1, 2019.

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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 the region through exhibitions, programs, events and more. To learn more, visit thevalentine.org

About Storefront
Storefront for Community Design is a non-profit design center in the center of Richmond, Virginia. Storefront operates three main community-based program branches: Youth Empowerment, Affordable Design Assistance, and Community Advocacy. To learn more, visit www.storefrontrichmond.org

About VCUarts mOb studio
VCUarts mOb studiO is a partnership of three design departments: graphic design, fashion design and interior design. Together, they operate this innovative design lab, which realizes the potential of design to shape the City of Richmond. mOb studiO combines the energy, enthusiasm and expertise of Virginia Commonwealth University’s students, fellows and faculty with Storefront’s community involvement. The two entities partner, working directly in and for Richmond-area communities, to improve and elevate the city’s design—from city bike racks, to the corner store, and from neighborhoods to the James River.

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The Valentine First Freedom Center, Monticello Celebrate Religious Freedom Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

The Valentine First Freedom Center, Monticello Celebrate Religious Freedom Day

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and First Lady Pamela Northam to Deliver Remarks

RICHMOND — The Valentine First Freedom Center and Monticello are partnering to sponsor an open press Religious Freedom Day Celebration on Wednesday, January 16, the anniversary of the signing of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

The Valentine First Freedom Center, located in Shockoe Slip at the site of the original General Assembly Building where the statute was signed in 1786, will welcome museum guests, local religious leaders and legislators beginning at 9 a.m. to experience the exhibition space.

At 10 a.m., Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam will deliver remarks. Bill Barker, as Thomas Jefferson, will also be on hand to read excerpts from the historic Statute.

“The Valentine First Freedom Center is dedicated to commemorating and educating about freedom of conscience as proclaimed in Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,” Valentine Director Bill Martin said. “We are excited to take that commemoration to new heights with this celebration, and we’re looking forward to working alongside Monticello to honor the ideals codified in the Statute and the worldwide impact of those words some 232 years later.”

“We are delighted to co-host this event with The Valentine First Freedom Center,” said Monticello Vice President of Visitor Programs, Gary Sandling. “Thomas Jefferson believed that freedom of conscience was essential to the success of a self-governing people, and no more so than in matters of faith. For Jefferson, this statute established the principle that no citizen should be denied participation in public life on the basis of their religious belief nor suffer persecution from their fellow citizens.”

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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, Through exhibitions, programs, events and more, the Valentine is a place for residents and tourists to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. To learn more, visit thevalentine.org.

About The Thomas Jefferson Foundation
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, the foundation seeks to bring history forward into national and global dialogues by engaging audiences with Jefferson’s world and ideas and inviting them to experience the power of place at Monticello. Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site and a Site of Conscience. As a private, nonprofit organization, the foundation’s regular operating budget does not receive ongoing government support to fund its twofold mission of preservation and education. For information, visit Monticello.org.

 

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Valentine Offers Free HIV Testing on World AIDS Day

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

Valentine Offers Free HIV Testing on World AIDS Day

RICHMOND — As part of the Valentine’s public health exhibition Pandemic: Richmond, the museum, Nationz Foundation and Diversity Richmond are partnering to offer Richmonders access to free HIV testing in honor of World AIDS Day on Saturday, December 1, 2018.

Nationz Foundation, a non-profit focused on providing education and information related to HIV prevention, health and wellness, will be on site at the Valentine in their Mobile Testing Unit & Food Pantry, providing free HIV tests from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We are excited to partner with The Valentine and Diversity Richmond, to provide education and information related to HIV,” said Zakia McKensey, Founder of the Nationz Foundation. “It is important to erase the stigma related to the virus and make sure everyone is aware of their status!”

“The Valentine remains committed to our timeless mission of pursuing community engagement and providing relevant programming to the people of the region,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “We are honored to be partnering with Nationz Foundation to provide free HIV testing to the neighborhood as a part of our Pandemic exhibition, and we look forward to additional partnerships like this that help us use our history to inform our present and shape the future.”

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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 Nationz Foundation
Nationz Foundation  501(c)3 was organized to fufill a mission to provide education and information related to HIV prevention and overall health and wellness, while inspiring the community to take responsibility for their health while working towards a more inclusive Central Virginia for LGBTQIA+ identified individuals.

About Diversity Richmond
Diversity Richmond is a catalyst, a place and a resource for the LGBTQ+ community. We champion and celebrate our diverse community, working closely with many other non-profits to ensure our vision for a vibrant, inclusive society.

 

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The Valentine’s Controversy/History Series Returns to Tackle City-Wide Debates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

The Valentine’s Controversy/History Series Returns to Tackle City-Wide Debates

RICHMOND – Today, the Valentine announced their innovative Controversy/History series will return on November 6, co-hosted by Valentine Director Bill Martin and Coffee with Strangers host Kelli Lemon.

Launched last year, Controversy/History explores present-day issues facing the Richmond community by pairing historic debates with modern data, encouraging important discussions that inspire action and promote progress.

“We’re excited to bring this conversation series back for a second year,” Martin said. “Last year, we were overwhelmed by the community’s interest in these discussions, and we’re excited to offer the Richmond Region the opportunity to engage in further conversations on relevant topics.”

At each of these events, Martin and Lemon will present a back-and-forth focused on an historical debate from Richmond’s past.  Expert speakers will then present data and analysis about what that same debate looks like today.

“After taking part in this series last year, I saw just how important it is to engage in honest conversations about our past as a way to move our region forward,” said Lemon. “I’m looking forward to being a part of Controversy/History again and continue encouraging the community to use the debates of the past to inform the conversations we have today.”

The Valentine has partnered with the Capital Region Collaborative to align discussion topics with their regional priorities and Dialectix Founder Matthew Freeman will facilitate group discussion.

Here is a complete list of dates and topics:

November 6, 2018, 6-8 p.m.
Education: Segregation Then & Now

December 4, 2018, 6-8 p.m.
James River: Commerce or Recreation?

January 8, 2019, 6-8 p.m.
Workforce Preparation: Race & Labor

February 5, 2019, 6-8 p.m.
Healthy Community: Disease & Disparity

April 2, 2019, 6-8 p.m.
A Tale of Two Cities: Richmond or RVA?

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About the Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. Through collections, exhibitions and programs, the Valentine provides residents and tourists the opportunity to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. The Valentine offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. https://thevalentine.org/

About Kelli Lemon
Kelli Lemon is an on air personality for Radio One Richmond’s Kiss FM and iPower and hosts a weekly podcast called Coffee with Strangers. Kelli hosts various social events and has assisted in creating unique urban events in Richmond including RVA Pop Up Parties, HeART & Soul Brew Fest, Richmond Black Restaurant Experience and The Art of Noise. Kelli recently opened her social cafe “The Urban Hang Suite” in Jackson Ward.

About the Capital Region Collaborative
The Capital Region Collaborative brings together local government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve a shared vision for the Richmond Region. CRC partners recognize that the most pressing challenges extend across jurisdictional boundaries and that a cross-sector, cross-jurisdictional approach is needed to reach the region’s full potential. https://www.capitalregioncollaborative.com/

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Time Travelers: Free Admission to 20 Historic Sites in Richmond

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

Time Travelers: Free Admission to 20 Historic Sites in Richmond

 

RICHMOND – Tourists and locals alike are invited to discover the area’s treasures spanning 400 years of fascinating history, including historic homes, museums and other one-of-a-kind attractions. Twenty of the Richmond region’s historic sites will offer visitors a “Passport” to time-travel during a special admission-free weekend, September 22-23.

Each site will offer complimentary admission to visitors who show a Time Travelers Passport, available via download from the participating locations’ websites.

Participating locations include:

Agecroft Hall & Gardens
Agecroft Hall, home to Richmond’s Tudor house, was first built in England in the 1500s, then transported across the ocean and rebuilt in Richmond in the 1920s. Today it is a museum furnished with art and artifacts from 17th century England. Take a 30-minute guided tour, stroll the manicured gardens overlooking the James River, explore the Sunroom Exhibit, get hands-on in the Tudor Kitchen and shop in the museum store. Located just west of Carytown at 4305 Sulgrave Road in Richmond, Agecroft Hall & Gardens will be open Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sun. 12:30-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.agecrofthall.org. To reserve a specific tour time, call 804-353-4241.

The American Civil War Museum – Museum & White House of the Confederacy
Best known as the Confederate executive mansion for Jefferson Davis and his family from 1861-1865, the house provides an ideal opportunity for exploring the full breadth and memory of the Civil War in Richmond. In its 200 year history, the house has served many roles: a private residence for Richmond’s influencers, a headquarters of U.S. occupying forces during Reconstruction, the Richmond Central School, The Confederate Museum, and now the fully restored White House of the Confederacy. All tours are guided and space is limited. As part of the house’s bicentennial, a special themed Lincoln & Davis tour begins at 1:30pm. Located at 1201 East Clay Street in Richmond, The American Civil War Museum’s White House of the Confederacy will be open Sat.-Sun. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, call 804-649-1861 or visit www.acwm.org. Note: attendees can use the passport to receive a free tour of the White House of the Confederacy OR a free tour of Historic Tredegar.

The American Civil War Museum – Historic Tredegar
The American Civil War Museum’s flagship exhibit is housed in the 1861 Tredegar Gun Foundry. Enjoy rotating artifacts, detailed timelines, unique hands-on activities, films, and more. The exhibit presents the story of the Civil War, its causes, course, and its legacies from the viewpoints of Unionists, Confederates, and African Americans. The war was a matter of honor and principle for all three as each acted to uphold its own vision of America. Each remembered the war differently as well, and to this day the war means different things to different people. The dynamic interplay of three peoples at war changed America forever and created a vastly different country from the one that existed before the war. The exhibit shows how the war produced the basic structure and character of the United States we know today. Historic Tredegar is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 804-649-1861 or visit www.acwm.org for more information. Note: attendees can use the passport to receive a free tour of the White House of the Confederacy OR a free tour of Historic Tredegar.

The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design
The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design elevates awareness of the transformative power of architecture and design. They envision a society that appreciates, supports, and embraces exemplary architecture and design…past, present, and future. The Branch Museum is located in the historic Branch House, a Tudor-revival house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was completed in 1919 by architect John Russell Pope for John and Beulah Branch. The Branch Museum is located at 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23220. The museum is open Tuesday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. We can be reached at 804-644-3041 ext 151, on our website at www.branchmuseum.org, or via email at frontdesk@branchmuseum.org

Chesterfield County Museum and 1892 Historic Jail
The Chesterfield Museum is a reproduction of the colonial courthouse of 1750. Its collections tell the history of Chesterfield County from prehistoric times through the 20th century. Exhibits include early Indian culture, artifacts from the first iron and coal mines in America, which were in Chesterfield County, early household and farming tools and a country store of the late 19th century. See the museum’s special exhibit, “Ringing in the Centennial of Chesterfield County’s 1917 Courthouse.” The Old Jail, built in 1892, includes a changing exhibit downstairs, “Mobilizing for War” on display through mid-October 2018, a centennial exhibit focusing on the history of the establishment of Camp Lee to train and equip troops for WWI. Upstairs, visitors may view cells as they were when they housed their last prisoners in 1962. The County Museum and Historic Jail will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday and is located at 6813 Mimms Loop in Chesterfield (near Magnolia Grange). For more information, call the County Museum and Historic Jail at (804) 768-7311 or visit www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

Chimborazo Medical Museum (Richmond National Battlefield Park)
Chimborazo became one of the Civil War’s largest military hospitals. When completed it contained more than 100 wards, a bakery and even a brewery. Although the hospital no longer exists, a museum on the same grounds contains original medical instruments and personal artifacts. Other displays include a scale model of the hospital and a short film on medical and surgical practices and the caregivers that comforted the sick and wounded.  The site is located at 3215 East Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia and is open for free seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (804) 226-1981 or visit www.nps.gov/rich.

Clarke-Palmore House
The Clarke-Palmore House Museum is located high atop historic Marion Hill in Henrico County. The museum interprets the lives of the Palmore family who lived on this small farm in 1930. Like other families living through the Great Depression, the Palmore family struggled to make a living during tough economic times. Self-sufficiency and frugality were the norm. The museum will be open Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m. and is located at 904 McCoul Street in Henrico.  For more information call (804) 652-3406 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

Courtney Road Service Station
The 1920s were the boom years for the construction of gas stations in the United States due to an increase of cars, improved roads and low gas prices. Many were built in the “House with Canopy” design like the Courtney Road Service Station, a style that was a 1916 Standard Oil Company prototype. In 1938, the Barlow family owned the station. The station was operated by Mr. Millard G. Wiltshire and sold Sinclair Gasoline and Oil Products. The station is located at 3401 Mountain Road in Glen Allen and will be open Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4 p.m. For more information call (804) 652-1455 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

Dabbs House Museum
The Dabbs House, built in rural eastern Henrico in 1820, gained attention as Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s field headquarters during the summer of 1862. Learn about the history of the house from its use as a residence for the Dabbs family to its tenure as Henrico’s police headquarters from 1941 to 1971 and then as a police station until 2005. Visitors can tour the 1862 field headquarters and browse the exhibit galleries. Dabbs House Museum will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and is located at 3812 Nine Mile Road in eastern Henrico. For more information call (804) 652-3406 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

Deep Run Schoolhouse
This two-room schoolhouse opened in 1902. The school was in use until 1911, offering seven grades of instruction. By folding the movable center wall the space converted into one large room for weekly square dances for the community. Henrico County moved the school to its current location, 3401 Pump Road, from Three Chopt Road in 1996. The museum will be open noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  For more information, call (804) 652-1455 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

Historic St. John’s Church
A year prior to drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Thomas Jefferson attended the Second Virginia Convention held inside St. John’s Church.  Alongside George Washington, Richard Henry Lee and other important figures in the American Revolution, Jefferson listened as Patrick Henry gave his now-famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. This speech ignited the American Revolution, making St. John’s a must-see landmark for anyone interested in the universal struggle for human rights. Since 1938, St. John’s Church Foundation has been charged with the preservation of St. John’s Church, now a National Historic Landmark. The Church, Visitor Center and Gift Shop will be open Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The last tour of the day takes place at 3:30 p.m. To learn more, call 804-648-5015, or visit www.historicstjohnschurch.org

The John Marshall House
The John Marshall House, built in 1790, was the home of the “Great Chief Justice” for forty-five years. Listed on the National and Virginia Historic Registers, the John Marshall House has undergone remarkably few changes since Marshall’s lifetime. The property remained in the Marshall family until 1911.  The John Marshall House will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and is located at 818 East Marshall Street in Richmond.  At 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Ardent John Marshall Molasses Beer tastings begin. At 1:00 p.m., Dr. Angie Hilliker, Molecular Biologist at the University of Richmond, will be explaining the process of extracting and cultivating yeast from historic madeira bottles to cultivate a new yeast strain to brew beer. Throughout the day, attendees can enjoy Quoits and cornhole yard games, open house tours and kids crafts. For more information, call (804) 648-7998 or visit www.preservationvirginia.com/marshall.

The Edgar Allan Poe Museum
The Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia has been interpreting the life and influence of Edgar Allan Poe for the education and enjoyment of a global audience since 1922. The Museum’s collection of diverse items relating to Poe’s life and writings is the most comprehensive in the world and its programs reach thousands of scholars, students, teachers, and literary enthusiasts every year. Visit www.poemuseum.org for more information about our exhibits and upcoming events.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
Businesswoman. Leader. Civil rights activist. Maggie L. Walker was all of these things, and more.  A tour of her home highlights her achievements and reminds us of the obstacles she overcame to emerge as an inspirational figure in the early twentieth century.  The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site is located at 600 N. 2nd Street in Richmond, Virginia, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tours of her home available daily, and is free of charge.  Reservations are suggested for groups of six or more. For more information and for tour times, call (804) 771-2017 ext. 0 or visit www.nps.gov/mawa.

Maymont
Discover the fascinating story of Maymont, a restored 1893 Gilded Age mansion given to the City of Richmond by James and Sallie Dooley. See the original furnishings upstairs including Tiffany stained glass and a swan bed, while the downstairs story reveals the tasks and challenges of working in service during the Jim Crow era. The surrounding landscape features Italian and Japanese gardens, magnificent trees and a carriage display, as well as Virginia wildlife exhibits, a Farm and the Robins Nature & Visitor Center. On Sunday, celebrate Maymont’s 125th anniversary with a festive carriage parade, food trucks, music and Victorian ladies & gentlemen.  Fees for carriage rides and some activities. Located at 1700 Hampton Street in the heart of Richmond, Maymont Mansion will be open Sat.-Sun. 12-5 p.m. (Grounds are open 10 a.m.-7 p.m.) For more information, call 804-358-7166 ext. 310 or visit www.maymont.org.

Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park
Meadow Farm, one of the last remaining 19th century farms in Henrico County, is an 1860 living historical farm focusing on rural Virginia life just before the upheaval of the Civil War. Costumed interpreters provide insights into the lives of Dr. John Mosby Sheppard, the owner of Meadow Farm, his family and those who were enslaved at the farm. Explore the farmhouse, barn, doctor’s office, blacksmith’s forge, kitchen, fields and pastures. Meadow Farm Museum will be open 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and is located at 3400 Mountain Road in old Glen Allen. For more information call (804) 652-1455 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

The Valentine and the 1812 Wickham House
The Wickham House, built in 1812, is a spectacular example of 19th-century Federal architecture and displays some of the country’s finest examples of interior decorative painting. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the Wickham House, built by John and Elizabeth Wickham, illustrates the lives of one of Richmond’s most prominent families. The Wickham House was purchased by Mann Valentine, Jr., and in 1898 became the first home of the Valentine Museum. It is managed and operated by the Valentine. All tours are guided. The Valentine and the 1812 Wickham House will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and is located at 1015 East Clay Street in Richmond. The Valentine’s current exhibitions, Valentine Garden, Edward V. Valentine Sculpture Studio and the Valentine Store will be open as well. For more information, call (804) 649-0711 or visit www.thevalentine.org.

The Valentine First Freedom Center
The Valentine First Freedom Center houses 2,200 square feet of exhibits that delve into America’s experience of religious liberty from its European antecedents through today. It is located on the site where Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom was enacted into law by the Virginia General Assembly in 1786. Outside, a 27-foot spire, a limestone wall etched with the enacting paragraph of the Statute, and a 34-foot banner of a seminal Jefferson quote imprint the importance of the “first freedom” on all who come upon that busy corner. The Valentine First Freedom Center is located on the corner of South 14th & Cary streets and will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is available on the street or in public pay lots.  For more information, call (804) 649-0711 or visit www.thevalentine.org/firstfreedomcenter.

Virginia Randolph Museum
On November 8, 1970, the Virginia Randolph Home Economics Cottage was dedicated as a museum in memory of Virginia Estelle Randolph, a pioneer educator, a humanitarian, and a creative leader in the field of education. The structure, built in 1937 was declared a National Historic landmark in 1976. She secured a teaching position with the Henrico County School Board and opened the old Mountain Road School in 1892 and taught for 57 years. The museum will be open Saturday and Sunday, Noon to 4 p.m. and is located at 2200 Mountain Road, Glen Allen. For more information call (804) 652-1475 or visit www.henrico.us/rec.

Wilton House Museum
Overlooking a placid stretch of the James River, Wilton House has been welcoming guests since constructed in the 1750s as the centerpiece of a sprawling tobacco plantation by the Randolph Family of Virginia. Here, friends, relations, and weary travelers such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette were welcomed. An impressive example of 18th-century Georgian Style architecture, Wilton House boasts its original and richly detailed paneling and a collection of fine and decorative arts from the Colonial and early Federal eras. When development threatened Wilton House in the 1930s, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia purchased and restored the property. Wilton House Museum will be open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and is located at 215 South Wilton Road in Richmond. For more information, call (804) 282-5936 or visit www.wiltonhousemuseum.org.

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Nominations Open for Richmond History Makers & Community Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

Nominations Open for Richmond History Makers & Community Update

 

RICHMOND – The Valentine has opened nominations for the Annual Richmond History Makers and Community Update.  Launched in 2005, the program recognizes individuals and organizations that have made lasting contributions to the Greater Richmond region.

The Valentine and the Capital Region Collaborative (CRC) will once again partner to highlight the work of six honorees and provide data on the progress being made in the region. The program, which will include recognition of honorees and the CRC’s annual community update, will take place at Virginia Union University on March 12, 2019.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the Capital Region Collaborative in order to recognize the good work taking place right in our backyards,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “Heading into the fourteenth year of this event, we are looking forward to further engaging with the community and sharing some truly amazing Richmond stories.”

“Collaboration is something our community is becoming known for. Having an opportunity to highlight citizens who are making an impact in the region is unique,” said Executive Director of the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission and Capital Region Collaborative Founding Partner Martha Shickle. “Our nine localities work closely together on so many issues and we have a partnership with the business and civic community that is really unique. We’re excited about the second year of celebration with the Valentine History Makers. Telling the story of our region and the people and organizations who make it ‘greater together’ is why we’re here.”

“The business community believes in the importance of elevating our region. The Collaborative, a public-private partnership, creates a place where we can discuss the best interests of our entire region,” said President of Chamber RVA and Capital Region Collaborative Founding Partner Kim Scheeler.” We all work together to highlight the progress we’re making in our region. We want to be a place that is attractive to ‘live, work and play’, and to get there, we have to work together. The Collaborative brings us together to discuss the issues and priorities that matter. Highlighting the great work that is happening in our region is an important part of how we get there.”

“Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR) is proud to be a founding partner of the Richmond History Makers & Community Update Program,” said LMR President/CEO Myra Goodman Smith. “We are pleased to play a role in informing the community of its progress in regional priorities and recognizing residents and organizations that are creating a positive impact.”

Nominations for the 2019 Richmond History Makers & Community Update Program are being accepted September 4 through October 22. You can learn more about the program, view past honorees and nominate your own Richmond history maker at RichmondHistoryMakers.com.

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About the Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. Through collections, exhibitions and programs, the Valentine provides residents and tourists the opportunity to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. The Valentine offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. https://thevalentine.org/

About the Capital Region Collaborative
The Capital Region Collaborative brings together local government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve a shared vision for the Richmond Region. CRC partners recognize that the most pressing challenges extend across jurisdictional boundaries and that a cross-sector, cross-jurisdictional approach is needed to reach the region’s full potential. https://www.capitalregioncollaborative.com/

About Leadership Metro Richmond
Leadership Metro Richmond (LMR) is the region’s community leadership development and engagement organization. Over 2,000 diverse leaders have participated in LMR’s 10-month leadership development program, Leadership Quest. LMR provides leaders with an environment for high-performing conversations, broadens their knowledge and perspectives about the region, and inspires them to serve first then lead.  http://www.lmronline.org/

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“Monumental” Exhibition Explores the Role of Richmond’s Monuments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

Monumental Exhibition Explores the Role of Richmond’s Monuments

 

Washington Monument. January 3, 1980. Photo: Gary Burns, V.85.37.1475, Richmond Times-Dispatch Collection, The Valentine

RICHMOND – A new exhibition looking at the role and context of Richmond’s monuments opens at the Valentine on the Fourth of July.

Through images, objects and multimedia, Monumental: Richmond’s Monuments (1607-2018) examines the city’s many public monuments, beginning with the Newport Cross and concluding with the planned Emancipation Monument on Brown’s Island. This timely exhibition will spur important reflections about what we have chosen to commemorate and what we have chosen to forget.

“As the debate involving monuments continues across the nation and right here in Richmond, we are excited to use this exhibition to provide important historical context,” said David Voelkel, the Elise H. Wright Curator of General Collections. “Our goal is to allow the public to make up their own minds about the role these monuments play in our community in 2018.”

Richmond’s monuments have continued to spark debate and generate attention, interest and outcry.  With the imminent release of Mayor Stoney’sMonument Avenue Commission’s report, this exhibition opens to the public at a pivotal time for the Richmond community.

“Our mission as an institution has always been to engage, educate, and challenge a diverse audience by using Richmond’s past to inform the present and improve the future,” said Director Bill Martin. “This exhibition examines the context of these structures to discover exactly what they meant to us in the past and what they mean to us today, and the Valentine is committed to serving the community as a space to have uncomfortable but necessary conversations about our city’s complicated history.”

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The Valentine Kicks Off Popular “Music in the Garden” Series

MEDIA ADVISORY
May 21, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

The Valentine Kicks Off Popular “Music in the Garden” Series

On Thursday, June 7 the Valentine will kick off the 2018 Music in the Garden series with performances by Wes Swing and The Legacy Band. Taking place in the Valentine Garden on June 7, 14 and 21, these free events will offer audiences unique, family-friendly performances in a beautiful atmosphere, as well as free access to the Valentine’s exhibitions. Each evening will feature two performances by musicians from different genres and with distinct styles, encouraging fans to interact and explore their musical boundaries. Beer and wine will be on sale, and Garnett’s at the Valentine will be open.

What: Music in the Garden 2018

Where: The Valentine Garden and Museum

When: 6 to 8 p.m.

Music in the Garden 2018 Line-Up:

June 7
Wes Swing & The Legacy Band

June 14
Angelica Garcia & Lobo Marino

June 21
Dave Watkins & The Prabir Mehta Trio

Parking in our 10th street lot is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Carpooling is recommended. No outside drinks or food are allowed. Additionally, pets (except service animals) and lawn chairs are not permitted.

 

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New Valentine Exhibition Chronicles Richmond’s Response to Seven Deadly Diseases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2018

Contact:
Eric Steigleder
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
esteigleder@thevalentine.org

                                                                

New Valentine Exhibition Chronicles Richmond’s Response to Seven Deadly Diseases

Stories of life-saving progress collide with racial and social disparities in Pandemic: Richmond

RICHMOND – A new exhibition exploring the storms of disease that have swept through the city of Richmond will debut at the Valentine on May 10.

Richmond Influenza Vaccines, 1976, photo by Wallace Huey Clark, V.85.37.2477

Pandemic: Richmond identifies stories of both loss and survival as Richmonders fought silent, invisible enemies, including the 1918–1919 influenza, smallpox, tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever, polio and HIV/AIDS. Drawing on the Valentine’s expansive archival collection, this exhibition reveals how these seven diseases ravaged communities while prompting life-saving advances in health care.

“This exhibition gives the Valentine the opportunity to show the true scope and impact of disease throughout Richmond’s history,” said Curator of Archives Meg Hughes. “In addition to the past, Pandemic: Richmond looks at disease today and will hopefully inspire visitors to take an active role in determining how Richmond will address future outbreaks.”

The exhibition also confronts issues of access and inequality. Throughout Richmond’s history, the impact of disease has fallen disproportionately on African Americans, the poor, the enslaved and the disadvantaged. Pandemic: Richmond aims to examine and share these important stories.

“This exhibition uses disease as a way to discuss progress, community, bigotry and modernity in Richmond,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “From the laudable scientific achievements to the uncomfortable truths about who did and did not receive care, Pandemic: Richmond tells a nuanced story that is equal parts frightening and hopeful.”

Pandemic: Richmond was developed with collaborating scholar Elizabeth Outka, an associate professor of English at the University of Richmond and author of the upcoming Raising the Dead, a book about modernist literature and the flu pandemic in Britain and the United States.

“Disease often receives less attention than military conflict but pandemic outbreaks from smallpox to AIDS/HIV have profoundly shaped the city’s history and the lives of its citizens,” said Outka.

The exhibition will be on view at the Valentine from May 10, 2018 to February 24, 2019.

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About the Valentine
The Valentine has been collecting, preserving and interpreting Richmond stories for more than a century. Through collections, exhibitions and programs, the Valentine provides residents and tourists the opportunity to discover the diverse stories that tell the broader history of this important region. The Valentine offers major changing exhibitions, which focus on American urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. https://thevalentine.org/

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