Inside the Leigh Street Armory building at 122 West Leigh Street, in Richmond's Jackson Ward, you find the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. This institution, a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1981 and focused on the history of Black and African Americans in Virginia, first opened to the public at 00 Clay Street in 1988 and moved here in 2016. The museum occupies a two-story, 12,000-square-foot space that holds stories of commerce, the arts, entertainment, education, and everyday life.
It was founded by Carroll Anderson Sr., and its leadership has included directors such as Tasha Chambers. Exhibitions have ranged widely: in 2020 the museum presented "Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Paradox of Liberty," about the enslaved people who built and supported Monticello, and in 2023 "Forging Freedom, Justice and Equality" marked the museum’s 40th anniversary and reflected on four decades of Black community stories. The BHMVA also collaborates with the Valentine Museum and other local organizations to bring projects and exhibits to life.
Feel the scale of this armory-turned-museum: the building, the street, and the Jackson Ward neighborhood that surrounds it.