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Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia opens with 3-day event

5/13/2016, 7:30 a.m.
Hundreds of people joined in the grand opening celebration last weekend of the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of …
The newly renovated armory offers 12,000 square feet of exhibit space on two floors, where the First Fridays crowd enjoyed food and music during the opening.

Hundreds of people joined in the grand opening celebration last weekend of the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia in Jackson Ward.

The three-day event started last Thursday with a ribbon-cutting at the museum’s new site in the renovated Leigh Street Armory, 122 W. Leigh St. The $100-a-person cocktail reception that followed, hosted by Daphne Maxwell Reid, drew a cross-section of history buffs and well-wishers from the Richmond area.

The celebration continued last Friday with music by Plunky & Oneness and poetry by Tuesday Verses in the galleries as part of the First Fridays event in Downtown.

On Saturday, scores of families arrived to view the exhibits and photographs and enjoy the interactive panels that detail the African-American contributions to Richmond, the state and beyond. The open house also featured special performances for children by Culture Queen.

Friday

Dr. Monroe E. Harris Jr. and Hossein Sadid, BHM board members, toast to a successful opening. Board Co-chair Bessida Cauthorne White and Chairwoman Marilyn H. West helped lead the multimillion-dollar project. Elijah Crawley, 12, an Elko Middle School student and son of museum director Tasha Chambers, learns firsthand from former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.

Dr. Monroe E. Harris Jr. and Hossein Sadid, BHM board members, toast to a successful opening. Board Co-chair Bessida Cauthorne White and Chairwoman Marilyn H. West helped lead the multimillion-dollar project. Elijah Crawley, 12, an Elko Middle School student and son of museum director Tasha Chambers, learns firsthand from former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.

Dr. and Mrs. D. Omar Watson engage in an exhibit in the shadow of the cast of a statue of Richmond native and tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. that now sits on Monument Avenue.

Dr. and Mrs. D. Omar Watson engage in an exhibit in the shadow of the cast of a statue of Richmond native and tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. that now sits on Monument Avenue.

Museum Director Tasha Chambers greets guests at the VIP reception Thursday.

Museum Director Tasha Chambers greets guests at the VIP reception Thursday.

The newly renovated armory offers 12,000 square feet of exhibit space on two floors, where the First Fridays crowd enjoyed food and music during the opening.

The newly renovated armory offers 12,000 square feet of exhibit space on two floors, where the First Fridays crowd enjoyed food and music during the opening.

Visitors had time and space during Saturday’s open house to peruse the Transatlantic Conversations exhibit.

Visitors had time and space during Saturday’s open house to peruse the Transatlantic Conversations exhibit.

Saturday

Shenelle Reed strolled with her year- old son, Ka’Leel, who was engrossed in the portraits of Yemaya by Arturo Lindsay

Shenelle Reed strolled with her year- old son, Ka’Leel, who was engrossed in the portraits of Yemaya by Arturo Lindsay

Hope Bibbs posed with “Fat Albert” in the “Funky Turns 40” exhibition.

Hope Bibbs posed with “Fat Albert” in the “Funky Turns 40” exhibition.