The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society
Collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of our community!
Our Exhibits
Photographer Russell “Rip” Payne (1916-1990) captured this historic moment one afternoon as children left an integrated public school for the first time in Charlottesville. Like most of the former Confederate South in the wake of the May 17, 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, white leaders in Virginia pledged a protest of “massive resistance” against any effort to desegregate public schools. On September 19, 1958, rather than accept integration, Virginia Governor Lindsay Almond ordered the all-white public schools closed in select communities, which included the City of Charlottesville. The move attracted national press attention. It was not until September 8, 1959, owing to a court order, that the schools were at last desegregated and children of color began to attend the formerly all-white schools in Charlottesville: nine at Venable Elementary and three at Lane High School, known collectively as “the Charlottesville Twelve.”
The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society creates engaging and vibrant exhibits that interpret the history of Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. Beginning in 1994, when we took up residence in the historic McIntire Public Library, the main hall has provided a venue for ground-breaking exhibits exploring our diverse collections and archives, the local heritage of Jewish life and culture, African-American history, the stories of Greek and Irish immigration to Charlottesville, art and architecture, businesses, education, medicine, and much more. We continue to offer regular exhibits, all free and open to the public.
Inspired by an idea hatched by Society board members, Punkie Feil and Bunny Gibbons, our current exhibit poses the age-old question …
Did You Know?
For over half a century, ACHS has maintained two historical archives teeming with original artifacts, rare documents, art, and local ephemera. Some objects are on public display for the first time. Along with a description of each object, you will learn a fascinating fact tied to ACHS’s current programs and projects.
This exhibit was curated by the 8th and 9th grade Local History class taught by Sally Duncan at the Renaissance School. This class has spent the year studying the history of Albemarle County and Charlottesville, beginning with the concept of settler-colonialism and how that impacted the Monacan Indian Nation. The class has intentionally studied a more honest and thorough history of our community. One of the other lessons this class has tried to teach is the importance of understanding small communities. From Scottsville to Boonesville, the students have studied how small events and regular people have helped shape the environment we all live in today.
For this exhibit, the students selected items from the ACHS archives that are related to the experience of growing up in Charlottesville and Albemarle in past generations. Many students gravitated towards education-themed items such as textbooks. They researched their chosen item as well as information related to it, in order to provide context. One of the goals of this class has been to understand that the stories we tell about our history matter, and the perspective we have can be consequential. Through their research, they have learned how people lived in the past, and why it still matters today.
In partnership with the Preservers of the Daughters of Zion Cemetery, the exhibit “Gone But Not Forgotten: Unearthing Memories at Daughters of Zion Cemetery,” explored the fascinating stories of people interred in one of the first public, African-American cemeteries in this part of the South, established in 1873 near downtown Charlottesville. The exhibit detailed information about the efforts to preserve the historic grounds and conduct archaeological research.
Known to generations of his friends as “Flash,” Ed Roseberry (born 1925) continues to be one of Virginia’s most celebrated and accomplished photographers. His iconic and award-winning work spans more than seven decades, and has focused on the people, events and scenes of Charlottesville, Albemarle and the University of Virginia. This free exhibit showcased dozens of classic photographs from the Roseberry Collection, and included detailed historic captions for every image. “Ed Roseberry’s Charlottesville” is on display for free at The Nook Restaurant on the Downtown Mall.
Exhibit comprised of the incredible collection of artifacts held by the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society. Dozens of items from our attic, each with its own story to tell. Presented with the generous support of Afton Mountain Vineyards and Champion Brewing Company.
The exhibit, written by Dr. Phyllis K. Leffler and curated by Keri Matthews, explored the place of Jews in Charlottesville over one hundred years. Local history and current events alike show how, at times, Jews are welcomed and integrated into the life and activities of the spaces they inhabit. At other times, they are defined as racial or religious outsiders, subject to discrimination and prejudice. The exhibit helps us to understand many of the issues so relevant to today: the place of immigrants, the acceptance of the so-called other, the American mosaic of diversity, and the dangers of white supremacy.
Frances Brand (1901-1990) was an activist and artist who painted over 150 members of the Charlottesville community. 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. 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!
