Frances Brand (1901-1990) was a U.S. Army major, a civil rights activist, a world traveler, a devoted churchgoer, and a portrait artist, among other things. Some remember her as a colorful eccentric who loved to dress in purple, while others knew her as a committed social activist.

In the 1970s, Brand undertook a series of portraits of her fellow community members that would become the Gallery of “Firsts.” This collection had at least 157 portraits of those whom Brand believed to be the first to do something. Many were firsts in their field of study or line of work, but Brand included those with lower-profile accomplishments that were nonetheless valued by the community. She made an effort to represent a myriad of races, classes, religions, and professions in her art. Of the 157 portraits, 93 feature women. Brand captured in her “Firsts” images of change in a small Southern community during the latter half of the twentieth century, a time when social change made it possible for individuals to achieve firsts where previously their gender, race, or nationality denied them the opportunity.

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society has handpicked twenty-five “Firsts” to “Re-Open the Gallery” at the Center at Belvedere from July 5 to August 31, 2022. Admission is free. For more information about Frances Brand and her “Firsts,” check out our page about her on cvillepedia. To see the Gallery of Firsts in its entirety, check out our digital exhibit.