|
| |
Richmond
Written by: Jenni Mennella
Richmond has a rich history with efforts in place to preserve its legends and remind us of our heritage.
In a whirlwind 5-city excursion over 4 days, I had the pleasure of seeing many historical sites revolving around the African-American culture in Virginia and witnessing a small taste of true southern hospitality. By the end, a subtle drawl had even crept its way into my Nu Yawk accent, and I even caught myself saying, "Ya'll!"
With the frenzy of events planned, I started referring to this as the "Virginia in a blender" trip -- we kept spinning around and going in different directions, and if you blinked, you'd miss something! Our tour guides for the trip, Judy Watkins and Bruce Twyman of Virginia Tourism, were partially responsible for the pace since they were driving the "getaway" cars, but more importantly, they filled in the blanks between tour stops and made the entire adventure a whole lot of fun! So hold on, and prepare yourself for a wild and exciting ride!
Just after landing at Richmond International Airport on Thursday afternoon, I realized, "I wasn't in Kansas anymore," or in my case, the hustle and bustle of New York. The pace was slower, the people were friendlier, and the general atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant. I met Julia Scott of Virginia Tourism by the baggage claim area and was promptly given a driving tour of Richmond while on the way to the hotel where the other tour members awaited my arrival.
After a quick check-in at the Richmond Omni Hotel, I headed down to the lobby to meet the rest of the group and begin our history lesson. I noticed a tall African-American woman wearing a red and white candy-striped dress with ruffles and full, puffed sleeves, and a wide-brimmed straw hat, just like something straight out of Gone With the Wind with that authentic Southern flair.
"Could she be part of the tour?" I thought to myself.
As if to answer my question with a "Yes," we were introduced to Veronica Davis of Virginia Roots, our tour guide for Richmond's Jackson Ward, once referred to as the "Harlem of the South." Jackson Ward was the center of African-American businesses during the early 1900s. Janene Charbeneau of the Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau accompanied us as well.
We piled into the vans and headed to Jackson Ward to visit the home of Maggie L. Walker, the first female African-American banker, and generally regarded as a legend during that era. She emphasized the value of saving money, even small pocket change, to members of the community. In 1903, she opened the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, which is still operating to this day as Consolidated Bank & Trust Company, following a merger with Second Street Savings bank in 1930.
Around the corner from Ms. Walker's house was the Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church located on North Third Street. Built in 1856, it is the second oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in Virginia. With stained glass windows reaffirming its age, rows of well-worn wooden pews and a choir balcony wrapping around the entire room, you could envision the sheer size and power of a Sunday morning service.
A history lesson would not be complete without seeing a traditional school, so we were off to Virginia Union University. What looked like a normal college campus proved to be an amazing site when we saw the craftsmanship on one particular building. The Congo building represented different parts of African culture with life-like stone sculptures appearing to walk off the sides of the building. There were various scenes and cultural artifacts in these carved pictures, which were broken down into sections to be brought to Virginia. It was simply breathtaking!
Our next stop on the tour was to see the Manchester Docks where slaves were brought into before being sent to market. Along the water's edge, we saw a tree-filled path and tried to picture it filled with people as Ms. Davis gave us a brief history of the docks. She pointed out the trail walked by the slaves to go to market, and the procedures for their return.
With a small foundation in Richmond's history under our belts, we went to Maymont House, the home of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Dooley to see the servant quarters in a traditional upper-class home. Caroline Harris, manager of historic programs at Maymont, explained the home is partially restored and preserved as it was during its heyday. There are efforts to raise money and continue the full restoration, including the kitchen and laundry areas, and the entire lower level where the servants worked.
Lavishly embroidered and gilded tapestries, fine china from Presidential collections, and ornate furnishings painted a luxurious portrait of the Dooley family and their home. The amazing thing about this was the bell to call the servants was tucked in a corner, not prominently displayed as in most houses of that era. This showed their respect for the servants who knew their jobs well enough and did not need a degrading bell to summon them.
As much as we would have loved to tour the entire Maymont estate, we had to hustle off to our hotel and get ready for the evening's events. Dinner and entertainment was at the Croaker's Spot located in Jackson Ward. This small, intimate restaurant had a side room with tables and a 4-piece band called, quite appropriately, Soul Fantastic. With a funky, bluesy, R&B sound, Soul Fantastic did a number of original songs with great harmonies and seemingly effortless melodies played by the guitar player and keyboardist. There was also a poet named N'Zinga who did a rap/spoken word piece over music called, "Soul Searchin'." She had a great delivery style, and her words punched the air with urgency and a call to take action over your life.
Most of the Croaker's Spot menu was seafood with a decidedly Southern twist. I chose the Butterfly Fried Shrimp served with grits and steamed cabbage. The shrimp were very tasty and fresh with a spicy afterkick, and although I wasn't a big fan of grits before the meal, I quickly changed my mind. They were creamy with a layer of melted cheese to compliment the shrimp. To finish our meal, I shared a slice of Coconut Cake with another tour member, and it was perfect -- light, fluffy and not too sweet.
Sufficiently stuffed on great food and knowledge from the day, we headed back to the hotel and settled in for the night.
OK, so I mentioned the "Virginia in a blender" feeling earlier, but here's where it gets kicked into high gear...
At 7:30am on Friday, (and no, it's not a typo), we loaded into the van for our busy day ahead. As a self-admitted coffee junkie who's trying to perfect an I.V. pole with two bags of java to support my addiction, I was in desperate need of caffeine if I was to be functional by our first stop at the Black History Museum in Richmond.
Luckily, the gods answered my prayers, and a lovely breakfast spread of pastries and coffee were waiting for us at the museum. While we ate, and I recharged, we watched a short film on Jackson Ward and black history in Virginia. Jackson Ward was known at the "birthplace of Black Capitalism." Between 1888 and 1930, there were five black-owned banks operating in Jackson Ward. It was a "city within a city" with its own restaurants, barber shops, insurance companies, benevolent organizations, banks and even a medical facility.
Several influential individuals featured in the museum exhibit were: Madame Wilnet Chalmers, a model/actress, beautician/entrepreneur/business owner, soldier/licensed nurse, who was a true Renaissance woman, constantly evolving and changing to be the best she could be; Oliver Hill was a lawyer who successfully argued for the desegregation of schools and did the groundwork for the landmark case, Brown vs. the Board of Education; and Dorie Miller, a mess steward in the U.S. Navy who shot down four planes during World War II.
After the museum tour, we bid farewell to Janene and were off to Hampton, just about an hour away. Richmond has a rich African American history with efforts in place to preserve its legends. The "Jackson Ward" section is a true testament to the people who work to remind us of our past so we don't repeat the mistakes, but simply learn from them.
Part 1 - Richmond
Part 2 - Hampton and Phoebus
Part 3 - Newport News
Part 4 - Norfolk
Part 5 - Colonial Willilamsburg
|
|
|
|
|
|
