Despite the rich legacy of local African Americans, the complex history of our community has never been compiled into one narrative. Our citizens deserve to have their important history told and preserved. Currently, the historically African American section of Newport News is undergoing comprehensive urban renewal. We aim to mitigate the loss of the cultural memories of African American residents by honoring the history of the community with this timely exhibit.

Funded in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities, this exhibit includes a wall exhibit and a digital component by way of QR codes. A unique factor of this exhibit is its size – it takes up over 132 feet of wall space in the library. This is also a story that has never been told in one comprehensive narrative — staff spent years on original historical research and curation. The exhibit has helped preserve local African American history, and it gives the community increased access to that history in a free and welcoming space.

The project has strengthened our relationship with the African American community. We receive a diversity of visitors every day — the exhibit is visible to all that enter the library.

Public responses:

• This exhibit “would serve as a great model for other libraries that wish to acknowledge the sometimes difficult history of their community.”
• It has “groundbreaking content”
• It will “hopefully have a lifelong impact on the way participants reflect on our history and how we shape our future.”

We are change agents!