Latest news with #VirginiaDepartmentofHistoricResources
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Historical marker approved for Suffolk community founded by former enslaved man
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) recently approved a state historical marker to highlight a community in Suffolk founded by a formerly enslaved man. The marker is set to be unveiled on Wednesday, April 12 at 10:30 a.m. at 4300 Judah Lane, which is located at the intersection of Judah Lane and Townpoint Road. The marker aims to educate the public about the community of Belleville, which is said to have originated in 1896 after William Saunders Crowdy, who escaped slavery during the American Civil war, established the Church of God and Saints of Christ in Kansas. In 1903, Crowdy purchased 40-acres of land in Suffolk, which eventually became the international headquarters of the church. The community of Belleville developed around the church in the 1920s. According to a release, at the community's peak, it encompassed over 700-acres and included farms, a school, a home for widows and orphans, stores, an electric plant, a music hall and athletic facilities. Although Crowdy himself died in 1908, the church persists today and is known as an African American Judaic organization. The Virginia DHR approved the marker in June of 2023, and the manufacturing costs were covered by the Church of God and Saints of Christ at Temple Beth El in Suffolk. For more information on state historical markers, click here. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia honors John Robinson, Black Reconstruction-era leader, with historical marker
Black members of the 1887-88 Virginia General Assembly. Then-state Sen. John Robinson is pictured on the far left of the back row. (Photo courtesy of Encyclopedia of Virginia) A man who fought for justice, public education, and civil rights in post-Civil War Virginia is finally getting his due. This Friday, Cumberland County will unveil a state historical marker honoring John Robinson, a Black politician, businessman, and Reconstruction-era leader who helped shape Virginia's democracy in the 19th century. Born free in Cumberland County around 1825 and formerly known as John Lipscomb, Robinson was a landowner and carriage driver before the Civil War, according to a new release by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. His life took a dramatic turn in 1864 when he was twice attacked by white men, forcing him to flee to Amelia County. Robinson later used the courts to hold his attackers accountable and defend his property rights — a move that historians consider extraordinary for a Black man in the 19th century. A staunch Republican, Robinson emerged as a political force during Reconstruction. He was elected to Virginia's 1867-68 Constitutional Convention, where he aligned with radical reformers seeking to expand rights for Black citizens. From 1869 to 1873, he served as a state senator, helping to establish Virginia's public school system and voting to ratify the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which granted citizenship and voting rights to Black men. After leaving the Senate, Robinson returned to Cumberland County, where he ran the Effingham House tavern for 30 years. He died in 1908. The Virginia Board of Historic Resources approved the historical marker in March 2024. Its installation was made possible by an anonymous donation to Cumberland Middle School, the marker's official sponsor. Virginia's state historical marker program, the oldest in the country, was launched in 1927. Today, more than 2,600 markers stand along roadsides across the state, preserving the stories of influential figures like Robinson. The dedication ceremony will take place on Friday at 1:15 p.m. at the marker's location at 1474 Anderson Highway in Cumberland. The event is free and open to the public. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
