A new exhibition that highlights an important, yet little-known, chapter in the history of Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood will open July 14 at the Library of Virginia.

“House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History” is presented in partnership with The JXN Project, co-founded by Sesha Joi Moon and Enjoli Moon. The exhibition tells the story of Abraham Peyton Skipwith, the first known Black homeowner in Jackson Ward and his descendants.

The exhibition opens with a reception on July 17 at 4 p.m., which will include guided tours and a panel discussion. Panelists will include Sesha Joi Moon, co-founder and executive director of The JXN Project; Gregg D. Kimball, former director of the Library’s public services and outreach division; Barbara C. Batson, exhibition coordinator; Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt, education and outreach manager; and Ashley Ramey Craig, community engagement and partnerships specialist.

The panel will discuss the origins of the project and the exhibition, Jackson Ward’s historical significance, the effects of the neighborhood’s destruction and plans for The JXN Project. The exhibition will use archival records, maps and photographs from the Library’s collection to explore Skipwith’s journey from enslavement to becoming a free businessman and owner of the Skip-with–Roper Cottage, one of Richmond’s oldest documented homes.

The cottage was lost during the construction of the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike in the 1950s, which displaced more than 1,000 families, destroyed schools and businesses and fragmented the Jackson Ward community.

The exhibition will be open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Feb. 28, 2026. It will then be moved to the reconstructed Skipwith–Roper Cottage, scheduled to open in April 2026 as part of the U.S. Semi-quincentennial. The cottage will be located at 303 E. Bates St.

Educational and public programs related to the exhibition are planned for the fall.