Courtesy of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
The 12th Annual Maupintown Film Festival, in partnership with Charlottesville’s historic Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, returns September 5-7, 2025, with a powerful lineup of films that celebrate the bold resistance and enduring beauty of Black history and culture.
The festival began in 2014, and focuses on showcasing stories from around the world of African American history and culture with feature films, shorts, documentaries, animated films, and discussions with filmmakers as well as experts and community members on topics that are of interest and/or concern of the day.
This year’s Maupintown Film Festival, themed Bold & Beautiful, showcases compelling films that highlight the Black community’s long tradition of resistance against injustice—fighting back against segregation, police brutality, and systemic inequality—while holding fast to an unshakable sense of pride and cultural identity. Over three days, audiences will experience inspiring stories, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and connect with filmmakers and community leaders. Don’t miss this celebration of resilience, power, and the beauty of Black storytelling!
The festival has hosted guests including Actor/Filmmaker Tim Reid, Academy Award-winning Director Paul Wagner, Former Charlottesville City Mayor Nikuyah Walker, Emmy Award-winning Filmmakers Hannah Ayers and Lance Warren, Actress/Filmmaker Karyn Parsons, local area historians, community leaders, and more.
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys is coming to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Nov. 22, 2025-March 1, 2026. The exhibition from the collection of musical and cultural icons Swizz Beatz (Kassem Dean) and Alicia Keys is expansive and features over 130 works of art by 40 Black artists from Africa, Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean.
Among the artists featured are Derrick Adams, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kwame Brathwaite, Nick Cave, Barkley Hendricks, Arthur Jafa, Titus Kaphar, Esther Mahlangu, Meleko Mokgosi, Odili Donald Odita, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Gordon Parks, Ebony G. Patterson, Deborah Roberts, Jamel Shabazz, Amy Sherald, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley.
These celebrated “giants” are expanding the art canon of greats in a big, bold way. They include legendary photographers, iconic contemporary artists, as well as emerging artists. And among the art on view are monumental works that tower in scale and thought. Giants is also a nod to the collectors’ passion for lifting up the human spirit:
“We need to be our most giant selves: to think our most giant thoughts, express ourselves in the biggest way possible, and give ourselves permission to be giants.” —Alicia Keys
As artists who strive to support other artists and collect from the heart, Keys and Beatz are guided by an outward intention that regards their family of acquired works as “by the artist, for the artist, with the people.”
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys is organized by Kimberli Gant, Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Indira A. Abiskaroon, Curatorial Assistant, Modern and Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum. The coordinating curator at VMFA is Valerie Cassel Oliver, the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.
The exhibition is organized by the Brooklyn Museum.
When/Where
November 22, 2025 — March 1, 2026
Altria Group Gallery, NewMarket GalleryTickets
Presale for VMFA Members Available beginning August 24. Not a member? Join now to take advantage of the exclusive presale and see all ticketed exhibitions for free.
Richmonders and fans from afar can expect a weekend awash in jazz, soul and R&B delivered by a mix of music icons and rising stars when the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival returns to Maymont Park on Aug. 9-10.
Dominion Energy is again the presenting sponsor of the festival which has been bringing big names and newcomers alike to perform in Richmond since its inception in 2010. This year’s lineup will feature numerous Grammy award-winning and chart-topping artists such as T.I., CeeLo Green, Jodeci, Muni Long, Aloe Blacc, Dru Hill, Masego, Marsha Ambrosius, Hot Like Mars, Norman Brown, Charles Owens, Kirk Walum & Mindi Abair, October London, Raheem DeVaughn, Alexander Mack, and many more.
To mark the official start of the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival, regional jazz artists including D.C. metro area singer/songwriter Kemi Adegoroye will take the stage for “Homegrown at the Hipp” at Jackson Ward’s celebrated Hippodrome Theater on Friday, Aug. 8.
In the lead up, the festival will also host “Straight No Chaser” events at various RVA locations. These downtown jazz performances and jam sessions are free and open to the public.
Aug. 6: Clavin Brown & Sam Reed at Bar Solita; Weldon Hill at Tarrants; Chet Frierson at Black Olive; Charles Owens Trio at the Marriott; Dominion Energy Jazz Café at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Aug. 7: John D’earth & Friends at Common House
The festival is rain or shine and attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and/or blankets. It should also be noted that transactions at this year’s festival will be cashless. Major credit and debit cards will be accepted with service charges applying to all orders. For more information or tickets visit https://richmondjazzandmusicfestival.com
Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, pictured on the left, during the construction of I-95 in 1957. Courtesy Library of Virginia.—-Courtesy of Virginia Humanities
On display July 14, 2025 through Feb. 28, 2026
The Library of Virginia’s free exhibition on the history of Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood, House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History, will explore the historic district that was once the center of Richmond’s Black community through the lens of the Skipwith-Roper family.
Using a combination of archival records, maps and photographs from the Library’s collection, the exhibition covers a period from 1767 through the 1950s, when eminent domain displaced many residents and businesses of Jackson Ward for the construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike.
The exhibition is presented in partnership with The JXN Project (JXN), a historic preservation nonprofit organization dedicated to capturing the pivotal role of the ward in the Black American experience as one of the country’s first historically registered Black urban neighborhoods.
This project was supported in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities.
Opening Celebration for House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History
Celebrate the opening of a new exhibition from the Library of Virginia and The JXN Project titled “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History.” The exhibition explores the story of Abraham Peyton Skipwith, the first Black homeowner in the area that would be known as Jackson Ward after the Civil War, and the subsequent removal of his house in advance of the construction of the Richmond–Petersburg Turnpike. This history anchors a larger national story of Black American experience from the founding of the nation through the Jim Crow era.
The opening celebration features information booths from community partners, guided tours of the exhibition and a panel discussion with the exhibition team on the origins of The JXN Project and the exhibition, the historical importance of Jackson Ward, the legacies of the destruction of Jackson Ward and the future of The JXN Project.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
4:00 p.m. | Guided Exhibition Tours & Information Booths
5:45 p.m. | Welcome & Partners’ Remarks
6:15–7:15 p.m. | Panel Discussion with The JXN Project co-founder Dr. Sesha Joi Moon; Dr. Gregg D. Kimball, former director of the Library’s Public Services & Outreach division and senior consulting historian for the Shockoe Institute; Barbara Batson, exhibitions coordinator; Catherine Fitzgerald Wyatt, education and outreach manager; and Ashley Ramey Craig, community engagement & partnerships specialist
This is a free event. Seating in the Lecture Hall is available on a first come, first served basis. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street. For more information, contact education@lva.virginia.govCalendar:
Lucinda McDermott performs in her one-woman play “O’Keeffe Jan. 25-26, 2025 at Richmond Triangle Players theater. Ticket information and time is here.
Reviews of Lucinda’s stage portrayal of Georgia O’Keeffe:
“McDermott’s one-woman play gets to the very heart of one of the enduring questions surrounding the art and life of Georgia O’Keeffe: how much credit does Alfred Stieglitz deserve for the critical and commercial success of his foremost protégé? It is a question that McDermott has O’Keeffe pose from beyond the grave, with all the insight and wit of a woman brought truly to life, both as an artist and as a captivating personality.” -Ariel Plotek, Curator of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Georgia O’Keeffe has summoned an audience to help answer the question, “Was it me or was it Stieglitz?” We journey with O’Keeffe from 1915 when she tears up her work to date, and starts over in black and white to discover her own style. She revisits key moments in her life to reveal hidden truths, but the shadow of manager and husband Alfred Stieglitz looms heavy over her. Was it his nude photographs of her that enticed the art world to her, or was it her own excellence of craft? Would she have been noticed if he hadn’t exhibited her? Georgia rejects claims by the male dominated art world about what drives her art, but when a Stieglitz affair gets too intense, and a very public commission collapses, her world falls apart. Georgia rallies, determined to survive and paint again, but some difficult decisions must be made. In the end, the truth that lies deep in Georgia’s heart is revealed— and it’s as devastating as it is honest. O’Keeffe! is a revealing critically acclaimed drama about the beloved and complex American icon.
*Newly Revised Script and production* Written and performed by Lucinda McDermott. Directed by Jan Powell with soundscape by Jon Piro.
“Powerful, funny, emotional, dramatic and very high quality. . .The audience was riveted to every word from beginning to end and gave Ms. McDermott a well-earned standing ovation! . . .Ms. McDermott established a connection with audience members right from the beginning and kept them in the palm of her hand for the entire show. . . . The emotional and the ultimately uplifting performance left a lasting impression on our community! . . .Ms. McDermott arrived early for load in and rehearsal and her set up was very smooth. Minimal set & props enhanced the actor’s storytelling without distracting from her work. She was very specific about her technical requirements, but also flexible to work with. I would encourage any venue to book this performance!”
-Elizabeth Bracey, Managing Director, Franklin Performing Arts Center
Concert/Performance Description
“O’Keeffe!” is designed to be presented in a variety of settings ranging from state-of-the-art theatres to galleries or other open spaces. Preference is for a professional sound system with stage lighting, however, we can be flexible in most circumstances. Please contact artist for specifics.
Recent history and future community-building will be the focus of VCU Libraries’ annual Black History Lecture Feb 4, 2025, “Building a Home for Change: The Obama Presidential Center.”
The Center’s Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, Dr. Crystal M. Moten, will provide an overview of the Obama Presidential Center focusing on the center’s museum exhibits. She will: explore the ways the exhibits are rooted in a larger, complex discussion about democracy; highlight the historical predecessors who made President and Mrs. Obama’s stories possible; and share the museum’s storytelling goals as they relate to the events, policies, challenges and accomplishments of the Obama Presidency. In harnessing the power of storytelling, the Center hopes to inspire all of its visitors to push for change within their own communities.
The Obama Presidential Center (OPC) will open in Chicago in spring 2026. Set in historic Jackson Park, in the heart of the city’s south side, the center spans 19 acres and will feature a fruit and vegetable garden; an athletic, programs, and events facility; a world-class museum; an auditorium; a branch of the Chicago Public Library; and more.
The Center, through its mission, museum and programs, will be a physical demonstration of how making change at home is the most meaningful way to participate in democracy and impact the world.
The speaker is a public historian, curator and writer who focuses on the intersection of race, class and gender to uncover the hidden histories of Black people in the Midwest. In 2022, Moten joined the Obama Foundation as the inaugural Curator of Collections and Exhibitions on the Presidential Center Museum team. She plays a key role in the collaborative effort to complete the design and implementation of the inaugural exhibits while also serving as the primary steward and subject matter expert of the Obama Foundation Museum Collection. Moten supervises and manages the curatorial team and its activities.
She has been researching African American life, history, culture, politics and work for nearly two decades and sees her work at the Obama Center as a “culminating moment in terms of bringing together the personal, professional, and the intellectual.”
In an online interview, Moten put the project in perspective:
“For the Obama Presidential Center, we really want people to understand that it was a collective set of actions that got President Obama to where he is today. We are telling the story and the history of President Obama becoming the nation’s first Black president. We are explaining the buildup that happened way before 2008, focusing on what led to President Obama’s historic victory, diving into the eight years of his administration, the pushback and the obstruction that happens at the end of his administration, and civic action that empowers everyone to engage in democracy.
“We want to show that together we can create the change we desire. All of our small actions added together is what moves the mountain. What history tells us is that change takes time. And I think that’s what the Presidential Center also shows. The way in which we agitate for change and the time that it takes, it’s not going to happen immediately. It didn’t happen over eight years. There’s still work to be done.”
Prior to joining the Obama Foundation, Moten served as Curator of African American History in the Division of Work and Industry at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. There, she stewarded collections as they related to the history of African Americans in business and labor; collaborated on several exhibitions; wrote for the Museum’s blog; and helped start, produce, and host “Collected,” a Smithsonian Podcast on African American History. She also reviewed and appeared on documentaries for the Smithsonian Channel including, She the People: Votes for Women.
The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Moten has taught at colleges and universities across the country including the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Dickinson College; Macalester College; and American University. Her research has appeared in books, journals, documentaries and other media.
A lifetime member of the Association of Black Women Historians, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Midwestern History Association and the Labor and Working Class History Association; the Executive Committee of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History; as well as the Board of Editors for the American Historical Review.
Her most recent, award-winning book is Continually Working: Black Women, Community Intellectualism and Economic Justice in Postwar Milwaukee (Vanderbilt University Press, 2023).
She studied African American Studies and anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis and received a master’s degree in African-American Studies and a doctorate in history from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
Registration is now open. The lecture is free and open to all. Seating is limited. The lecture will be held at James Branch Cabell Library at 7 p.m. Feb. 4, 2025.
VCU Libraries’ Black History Month Lecture is supported by the Francis M. Foster Fund. [https://www.support.vcu.edu/give/fund?fund=4924] Francis Merrill Foster Sr., DDS, was an assistant professor of general-practice dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University and a retired Richmond dentist. The unofficial historian of Jackson Ward, Foster was known for his health-care advocacy and for his desire to improve the lives of those around him.
Visitors discuss the contributions of Blacks in the medical professions recently at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.Photos by Bonnie Newman Davis.
A landmark exhibition that chronicles Virginia’s Black hospitals, medical educators, physicians, pharmacists and professional organizations opened Sept. 18, 2024 at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.
“A Prescription for Change: How Black Voices Shaped Healthcare in Virginia,” was created and curated by Elvatrice Parker Belsches, B.A., B.S. Pharm, M.A., and features powerful vintage photographs, with accompanying text, of 1919 graduates of the Dixie Hospital Training School for Nurses at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University). Also part of the exhibit is a 1915 group photograph that includes members of the Tri-State Dental Society Conference and founding members of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, a national nursing organization, which had a chapter in Richmond.
The exhibition also showcases rare photos of hospitals created by Black professionals and individuals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Of notable significance are rare artifacts such as the scales and weights used by Dr. David A. Ferguson, D.D.S., the founding father of the National Dental Association and two dental instruments that reportedly belonged to Dr. Peter B. Ramsey, who began practicing dentistry in the 1880s. There are medical instruments and cabinets from The Claytor Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. This clinic is believed to be the first multi-specialty clinic in Southwest Virginia that was founded and staffed by Black medical practitioners when it opened in 1948.
Elvatrice Belsches, middle, points to highlights of the exhibit, “A Prescription for Change: How Black Voices Shaped Healthcare in Virginia,” that currently is on view through March 15, 2025 at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond, Va. Ms. Belsches, a public historian, is the exhibit’s creator and curator.)
The exhibition is divided into eight sections:
*The Early Years
*Education
*Physicians, Optometrists and Chiropractors
*Dentists
*Pharmacy
*Nurses, Midwifery and Doulas
*The Black Hospital Movement
*Organizations
Included in the exhibit are works by 14 artists, exploring physical, emotional, psychological, and historical aspects of healthcare disparities faced by Black patients. Participating artists include P. Muzi Branch, S. Ross Browne, Unicia Buster, Kyle Epps, A. Yhayha Hargrove, Barbara Hobson, William E. Johnson, Jowarnise, David Marion, Amiri Richardson Keys, Jay Sharp, Jeff Taylor, Sir James Thornhill, Dennis Winston, and Vashti Woods. Each artist brings a unique perspective to this critical dialogue, creating a multifaceted narrative that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and envision a more equitable future in healthcare.
Where: The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, 122 W. Leigh St., Richmond, Virginia 23219. The exhibit continues through March 15, 2025.
Marketing & Media – Bonnie Newman Davis has worked as a journalist for more than 40 years, receiving numerous awards for her work. In addition to her most recent role as managing editor for the Richmond Free Press, she has trained hundreds of journalism students at several universities in Virginia and North Carolina. Bonnie is the author of “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960”, sharing the stories of 24 Black women whose journalism careers spanned the last 40 years of the 20th century.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2024 YWCA Richmond Celebrates 44 years of Women’s Leadership, Announces 2024 Class of Outstanding Women Awards Honorees
RICHMOND, VA – As the Richmond Region continues to recover from the impacts of the Covid pandemic, the ability to successfully lead an organization through adversity has become a highly sought after trait. Yet women, especially women of color, would contend that they have been operating and leading through adversity for years in the both the public and private sector, navigating their way through a system that may not recognize them for their many contributions, and, most importantly, their ability as leaders. For over 40 years, YWCA Richmond has recognized accomplished women leaders in our community that one July 2023, LinkedIn article described as ‘modeling resilience, empowering their teams to embrace change, learning from failures and persisting in the face of adversity.’ Today, YWCA Richmond announces the women who have been selected as the 44th Outstanding Women Awards honorees in eight different categories.
Business – Maria Tedesco: Maria was named President of Atlantic Union Bank (AUB) in 2018, and, in 2022, she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). She is the Bank’s first female president and COO in its over 120-year history. Maria has received numerous accolades and has served as a mentor to other women throughout her career. Most recently, she was named Virginia’s Leading Women in 2021, and in 2022, she was named the winner of the RVA Power Women. Maria founded the Women’s Inclusion Network (WIN) Employee Resource Group in 2020, actively supporting hundreds since its inception. WIN’s mission is to foster a culture ofinclusivity, visibility and empowerment in which all women can achieve their professional goals.
Education – Sandra Gioia Treadway: Sandy recently retired as the Librarian of Virginia following 45 years with the agency. Under Sandy’s leadership, the Library has become a trusted and essential resource to a large and complex constituency of elected leaders, public librarians, authors and researchers alike. Sandy’s career has focused on increasing access to the Library’s vast collections and highlighting the contributions of the often overlooked in our history, particularly the experiences of Virginia women. She has served on the Virginia Women’s Monument Commission and is the co-editor of Virginia Women: Their Lives and Times.
Human Relations & Faith in Action – Amy Strite: Amy is the current Executive Director at Senior Connections and has served as CEO of Voices for Virginia’s Children and Family Lifeline. A licensed clinical social worker, Amy’s work in service to Richmond’s underresourced communities and deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion spans 34 years. Amy has served on numerous boards and commissions, including Smart Beginnings RVA, the NAMES Project of Central Virginia, and Richmond Memorial Health Foundation.YWCA Richmond is a 134-year-strong nonprofit organization committed to empowering women, children and their families to live their best lives. YWCA strengthens our community through early childhood education programming, free emergency and ongoing services for survivors of violence, violence prevention education and leadership opportunities for women. If you or a loved one has experienced domestic, intimate partner violence or sexual violence, you may call the Greater Richmond Regional Hotline at 804-612-6126.
Health & Science – Amy Popovich: Amy is the Nurse Manager of the Richmond/Henrico Health District (RHHD) and serves as a go-to public health leader in the Richmond Region, ensuring the efforts of RHHD are equity-driven. She has spent her career inspiring public and private partners to join with RHHD in developing innovative solutions to our Region’s issues while driving community engagement and education in Richmond and Henrico’s most vulnerable populations.
Law & Government – Lori Hanky Haas: In 2007, Lori’s daughter was shot and survived what was at the time, America’s deadliest mass shooting at Virginia Tech. In the almost 17 years following the tragedy, Lori served as the State Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and its sister organization, the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence which provided evidence- based research on gun violence efforts nationally, working to drive discussions around gun control legislation at the state level. After a merger, Lori currently serves as Advocacy Manager at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She has also served on the Virginia State Crime Commission following appointments by two Virginia governors.
Marketing & Media – Bonnie Newman Davis: Bonnie has worked as a journalist for more than 40 years, receiving numerous awards for her work. In addition to her current role as managing editor for the Richmond Free Press, she has trained hundreds of journalism students at several universities in Virginia and North Carolina. Bonnie recently published “Truth Tellers: The Power and Presence of Black Women Journalists Since 1960”, sharing the stories of 24 Black women whose journalism careers spanned the last 40 years of the 20th century.
Nonprofit Management – Kelly King Horne: Kelly has been the Executive Director of Homeward, the coordinating and planning agency for the Richmond Region’s collaborative networks of homeless service providers for the last 15 years. She is recognized as a national leader in the homeless services sector. Under her leadership, Homeward was one of the first in the country to adopt the Housing First model of resource coordination, now the gold standard in homeless services.
Volunteerism – Eucharia Jackson: “Ukay” is a community leader, advocate, and professional who is devoted to tackling social issues ranging from education, the arts, diversity, and women’s empowerment. She has left a lasting impact within her community by utilizing the extraordinary skills gained through her 20+ years of experience in Sales and Marketing with Eli Lilly and Company. She is a gubernatorial appointee on the Board of Trustees for the Science Museum of Virginia and on the Citizens’ Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion. Ukay also serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, the Advisory Board of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, and various other organizations. She previously served on boards for the Collegiate School and the AmericanYWCA Richmond is a 134-year-strong nonprofit organization committed to empowering women, children and their families to live their best lives. YWCA strengthens our community through early childhood education programming, free emergency and ongoing services for survivors of violence, violence prevention education and leadership opportunities for women. If you or a loved one has experienced domestic, intimate partner violence or sexual violence, you may call the Greater Richmond Regional Hotline at 804-612-6126.
Heart Association of Richmond. She is an advocate committed to many worthy causes within her Richmond community.
CEO of YWCA Richmond, Rupa Murthy is honored to celebrate this year’s class of leaders. She believes our region can “Join YWCA Richmond as we stand together in recognition of the incredible strength and wisdom that women bring to leadership as we work to unlock the full potential of our societies. The leadership these eight women exemplify goes far beyond the matter of parity; they are catalysts for progress, innovation, and positive change.”
The honorees were ormally recognized at the Outstanding Women Awards Luncheon, at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and is presented by Dominion Energy and Altria.
For more information about the events, contact YWCA Richmond at owa@ywcarichmond.org. For more information about YWCA Richmond and our mission to empower women and eliminate racism, visit http://www.ywcarichmond.org.
BND Institute of Media & Culture 