Virginia Special Advertising Section
attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina on July 18, 1863. One hundred veterans are laid to rest within the cemetery,
most of them from the Civil War and Spanish-American War.
Named in honor of the first Black governor of Virginia, the exquisite and luxurious L. Douglas Wilder
Performing Arts Center seats over 1,800 spectators. Upon entry, a grand staircase and spiral crystal chandelier serve
as the focal points catching your eye. Attend a concert or play on its Broadway-quality stage and listen to excellent
acoustics for the many and varied musical per-
formances year round.
RICHMOND
Prior to the Civil War, Jackson Ward, the 40-
block community within walking distance of the
Greater Richmond Convention Center, was a
melting pot of nationalities, including free
African-Americans, German and Irish immi-
grants and White Richmonders. After the war,
this African-American community became
known as "the Harlem of the South" and the
birthplace of Black capitalism, also earning it
the nickname "America's Black Wall Street."
Here in "The Ward," Maggie L. Walker became
the first female bank president when she estab-
lished the bank now known as Consolidated
Bank & Trust. Jackson Ward also was the birth-
place of dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and
Broadway actor Charles Gilpin.
Learn more about the contributions of
African-Americans to the history of the Richmond Region at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of
Virginia or the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. Explore more than 150 years of history during a tour of
98
The Black History Museum is a must visit
Photo Credit: Richmond CVB
Black Meetings & Tourism February/March 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com
