Going to, Rather Than Around,
Richmond!

I grew up in Hampton, Virginia. However, I live in Prince George's County, Maryland. Having lived in Metropolitan Washington for more than twenty years, I have traveled Interstate 95 around Richmond to reach Hampton and back to Washington countless times. Richmond was never my destination. Therefore, when Richmond's Valentine Museum offered a walking tour of Richmond's Jackson Ward, my first response was: "who is Jackson Ward," "where is Jackson Ward," and "why would I want to take a walking tour of his neighborhood?"

First, Jackson Ward is not a person. Instead, Jackson Ward is a voting district near downtown Richmond. Free African and European immigrants founded the neighborhood in the 1850s. After the U.S. Congress passed the First Reconstruction Act in 1867, Black male voters gained political strength in Richmond and Jackson Ward became a gerrymandered "Black" political subdivision.

Jackson Ward has been known by many titles including: "the Harlem of the South," "the historic city of fraternalism," and "the Wall Street of Black America." Highway construction, which split Jackson Ward; desegregation and benign neglect, encouraged decades of decline. Today, Jackson Ward has an unfortunate distinction. It is on the National Trust's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Despite that recent distinction, the neighborhood remains a vibrant community with not only much to see, but much to experience. We started the tour on Clay Street at the Black History Museum. The Museum dedicates itself to preserving Virginia's Black history and culture. As we strolled through the neighborhood, our guide pointed out the variety of 19th- and early 20th-century homes built by European and African craftspeople who once lived there. The homes are noted for their ornate cast-iron porches, of the Greek and Georgian Revival, Queen Anne and Italianate styles.

The guide's story of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church intrigued me. Its founding Pastor, John Jasper, born a slave, founded the church in 1867 and was known for his keen oratory skills. Words painted vivid pictures to illustrate the points of his captivating sermons including "Whar Sin Kum Frum?" and his most famous sermon, "De Sun Do Move."

In the latter sermon, Jasper skillfully wove together various passages of the Old Testament to present evidence that the earth was stationary and the sun revolved around the earth. Thus, he refuted the theory that the earth revolved around the sun. An invitation by the Virginia General Assembly was one of more than 250 invitations the Reverend received to deliver that sermon. Sixth Mount Zion maintains a room dedicated to Jasper's and the church's history.

In a small corner park at Adams and West Leigh Streets, is a statute of one of Richmond's favorite sons, tap dancer and film star, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. He donated to Richmond its first traffic light. Robinson had it placed on that corner after a young girl was killed there in a traffic accident.

As a testament to Richmond's rich history of African American fraternal orders, benevolent societies, and banks, Jackson Ward is home of the Consolidated Bank & Trust. The institution is the oldest continuously owned and operated African American Bank. In 1903, with $9,430 in deposits from members of a fraternal organization, Maggie Walker organized the bank as the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. Consolidated is also the first bank in the United States founded by a woman and to have a female president. Visitors may visit its headquarters on North 1st Street. They may also tour Maggie Walker's well-appointed home on Leigh Street.

When many think of economics, entertainment, and food in Jackson Ward, they think of the Neverett Eggleston family. The family owns several businesses including the 39-room Eggleston Hotel. It opened in the late 1930s on Second or "The Deuce" Street when White hotels openly did not welcome Blacks. Guests such as ''Moms'' Mabley and Jackie Robinson were not strangers to the establishment. Today, Eggleston family members carry on the tradition at the Croaker's Spot restaurant.

No tour of Jackson Ward would be complete without having a bite to eat at the small eatery across the street from the historic hotel. You won't have to worry about losing track of time while at the Spot. On a wall, there are five clocks where one can be sure of the time in cities that are significant to folks of African descent - Dakar, Senegal; Dimona, Israel (The Israeli home of the "Original African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem" - - many of whom migrated from Chicago in 1967); Johannesburg, South Africa; Watts, California; and of course, Jackson Ward.

Indeed, Jackson Ward is a neighborhood with a rich history and a promising future. Having taken the opportunity to go to, rather than around Richmond, I gained a greater appreciation of my heritage as a Virginian, but most of all as an African American.

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