Episode 17: Virginia Randolph Museum

Curator's Choice

This week we meet with Julian Charity in a single-room museum entirely dedicated to one amazing woman: Virginia Randolph. Miss Randolph began her young adult life as a teacher and never left that role, developing new curriculum for black schools that would be adopted countywide.
" However, this day was of particular importance: Miss Randolph accepted a new position offered by Henrico County School Superintendent Jackson T. Davis to serve as the industrial teacher of all the African-American schools in the county."
Below is a timeline of Virginia Randolph’s Legacy and the work of Henrico County from the Henrico County Virginia Museum’s page:

1892 – Virginia E. Randolph begins her teaching career in Henrico at this location. The Mountain Road School was a one-room African-American schoolhouse.

1908 – Miss Randolph becomes one of the first Jeanes Supervising Industrial Workers. These workers were teachers paid with funds established by Anna T. Jeanes specifically for rural African-American schools.

1929 – The Virginia Randolph Training Center, later called High School, was built with Rosenwald funds. The Rosenwald fund was established by Julius Rosenwald, CEO of Sears and Roebuck, to improve learning environments for African-American schools in the South.

1937 – Built as the Home Economics cottage for the Virginia Randolph Training Center, the structure also served as an office for Miss Randolph.

1950s – Virginia Randolph Foundation is established to perpetuate the legacy of the renowned educator following her retirement in 1948.

1969 – Virginia Randolph High School is closed with the integration of Henrico Schools.

1970 – The Museum in Memory of Virginia Randolph is dedicated. The museum housed in the cottage is dedicated to preserving the work of Miss Randolph.

1974 – Virginia Randolph Museum is designated as a National Historic Landmark, which the highest recognition from the U.S. Department of Interior.

2011 – Henrico County Recreation & Parks takes over management of the museum from Henrico Schools and the interior exhibits are updated.
Episode Links:

• Virginia Randolph Museum’s webpage: https://henrico.us/rec/places/virginia-randolph-museum/

Support the show

Curator's Choice - A podcast for history nerds and museum lovers