RICHMOND, Va. — A new exhibit at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia celebrates the 140-year legacy of one of the South's earliest Black Catholic congregations.
"Faith & Resilience: The Legacy of Black Catholics in Virginia" tells the story of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which served as a beacon of hope for Black Catholics in Richmond.
The church's history began in 1879 when Bishop John King started ministering to African Americans in the basement of St. Peter's Cathedral in Jackson Ward.
"And then in 1884 he felt there was a need to found a church, to build a church for the blacks, and so he did that and in 1885 November 22, he dedicated St Joseph's Catholic Church," said Rev. Tochi Iwuji, Pastor of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and Director of Office for Black Catholics.
The exhibit was envisioned by Deacon Charles Williams to honor the church's significant role in the community.
"St Joseph's was more than a church. It was the hub of the community where people gathered. So, he thought a way to honor St Joseph's was to establish a black Catholic Museum," Rev. Iwuji said.
Mary Lauderdale, Director of Curatorial Services at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center, welcomed the opportunity to showcase this important story.
"It's a compelling story. I've always wanted to do an exhibit such as this," Lauderdale said. "We've done things with some of the schools in the area, but some of the Catholic schools in the area, but not about the churches."
Visitors can explore artifacts, documents and personal memories that highlight the congregation's survival and community strength.
"One of the things they will see is that history cannot be erased, is that even though the church is closed, the legacy lived in the people," Rev. Iwuji said.
The exhibit resonates with the museum's mission to preserve important cultural stories.
"This is an inspirational story, this is a Virginia story, it's a family story, it's a faith, it's resilience," Lauderdale said. "It checks off all the boxes of what we want to represent here at the Black History Museum."
Though St. Joseph's itself has closed, its legacy continues to inspire other Black Catholic congregations, including Holy Rosary in Church Hill.
The exhibit runs through Nov. 29, with a special Eucharistic procession planned for Nov. 22 at the historic marker in Jackson Ward.
The Black History Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 for adults, with annual memberships starting at $35.
"So that's my hope, that they will come and just live here with hope, the interest to work for healing and the interest to keep fighting so that justice will prevail for all," Rev. Iwuji said.
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