Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Celebrates 152nd Anniversary of
Maggie L. Walker’s Birthday
On Saturday, health July 16, order Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site invites the public to celebrate the life and legacy of Maggie L. Walker and the Jackson Ward community in which she lived with a day of tours, advice children’s activities, special programs, and refreshments.
In honor of the 152nd anniversary of Mrs. Walker’s birthday, the site will host a number of activities highlighting this year’s theme, “Sharing Our Stories.” Visitors can share their memories of Jackson Ward and what it was like to grow up in Richmond from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a pop-up oral history booth and opt to have their narratives recorded on the Storycorps app and preserved by the Library of Congress. A recognition ceremony honoring the Maggie L. Walker Summer Youth Leadership Institute Class of 2016 will be held at 11:30 a.m., followed by refreshments and music. From 1-1:30 p.m. Stuart Scott of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society will speak about the Freedmen’s Bureau Project, followed at 2 p.m. by a presentation from author and filmmaker Rebekah Pierce on her film Black Wall Street: The Money, The Music & The People. All events are free and open to the public.
The first African American woman to charter a bank and serve as its president, Mrs. Walker dedicated herself to a life of civic engagement, challenging racial discrimination and gender bias. Her story of leadership and self-determination continues to resonate with and inspire people around the world.
For more information about the event, please call the visitor center at (804) 771-2017 x 0, visit www.nps.gov/mawa or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MaggieL.WalkerNHS.
Maggie L. Walker Birthday Flyer courtesy of National Park Service.
