Lauding Lauderdale // Mary C. Lauderdale, operations manager of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, is surprised with a celebration last Friday honoring her 20 years of service at the museum in Jackson Ward. A steady fixture at the museum, Ms. Lauderdale has performed numerous jobs during her tenure, including chief docent, gift shop manager, head of visitor services and museum manager. The surprise event featured African drummers, speeches by area artists and museum board members, presentation of a portrait by Richmond artists Jerome Jones Jr. and his son, Jeromyah Jones, a champagne toast, cake and hors d’oeuvres.
