William “Bill” Martin, a beloved Richmond museum director and advocate for the Black arts and cultural scene, died Sunday at 71 after being struck by a vehicle. Those who knew him remember his decadeslong dedication to the city’s arts, history and cultural life. 

For Paul Rucker, a visual artist, historian and founding executive director of the Cary Forward Museum, Martin was an iconic figure in Richmond’s arts and cultural community. In 2017, when Rucker toured Richmond with the Institute for Contemporary Art’s Amber Essevia ahead of his 2018 residency, The Valentine was one of their stops. Martin, who had served as the museum’s director for more than 20 years at the time, and his team shared parts of the museum’s archive that interested Rucker, helping him feel welcome. 

Rucker and Martin stayed close for years. As Rucker built his life in Richmond and prepared to open the Cary Forward Museum, focused on Black art and history, next year, Martin shared his expertise on the city’s history and guidance on running museums. 

“That’s one of the reasons that I thought, ‘This is a great place to be,’ because of people like Bill,” Rucker said. “There’ll not be another one in our lifetime. There’s not another Bill.” 

A native of Culpeper County, Martin joined The Valentine in 1994 as director of marketing and public relations after holding museum and tourism roles in than three decades at The Valentine, he helped expand how Richmond told its history, sharing the city’s complex stories. Florida, Georgia and Virginia. Over more 

Throughout his career, Martin frequently collaborated with other organizations, helping organize exhibitions, supporting The JXN Project, aiding in the creation of the Afrikana Film Festival, and championing the city’s arts and cultural institutions. 

“I think that each of us have the opportunity, really the responsibility, to tap into the power of the untold stories,” Martin said during a 2013 TEDxRVA talk on Richmond’s overlooked histories and cultural narratives. 

Monroe E. Harris Jr., former president of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ Board of Trustees, met Martin 20 years ago when he and his wife were invited to visit The Valentine. Harris called him a “great friend” and ambassador for the history and culture “that makes Richmond what it is today.” 

Harris particularly appreciates Martin and The Valentine’s frequent collaborations with the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia over the years, where he serves as president of the board, including helping organize several exhibitions. 

BHMVA Executive Director Shakia Gullette Warren, who received guidance from Martin when she arrived in Richmond in 2023, said his willingness “to lean into uncomfortability” remains a model for her work and for the community. 

“The example he gave was that we can all be better people if we work together, even during complex situations and complex history,” she said. 

Todd B. Waldo, right, former president of the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center board, pauses for a photo with William “Bill” Martin during the “In the Sun Again Community Block Party” on June 14, 2019. (photo by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)