Drama, Music, History and Free Ice Cream: Celebrating the 2nd Maggie Walker Heritage Day

Date: March 31, 2010
Contact: Eola Dance, 804 771-2017

On April 17, 2010 the National Park Service and the Sharpe Community Scholars of the College of William & Mary will present the second Maggie Walker Heritage Day, a celebration of the life and legacy of one of America’s great organizers and businesswomen. The event will take place at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site at Second St. and Leigh St. in Richmond’s historic Jackson Ward from 11 am to 3 pm, and will feature music, dramatic presentations, lectures, and exhibits recognizing the accomplishments of this amazing African American woman who led her community to greater financial, educational , and civic accomplishments during the American Apartheid.

Maggie Walker Heritage Day, which recognizes both the woman and her national community, will feature a varied program for the whole family. The schedule of events includes:

11:00 am Opening, Welcome & Invocation Remarks by Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Superintendent David Ruth, Dr. Heather Huyck, and the Reverend Tyrone Nelson of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church.

11:00 am – 3:00 pm Children’s Programs Special children’s programs will highlight Mrs. Walker’s influence and lasting legacy. Participants will make buttons in the regalia department, design bookmarks in the “Ride the Wind” book club and complete Junior Ranger activities.

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Maggie Walker Exhibition The Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site will have a special showing of historic documents, including Mrs. Walker’s NAACP card, St. Luke Stock certificates, and Death Notices found in 2009. For 35 years, Mrs. Walker led the Independent Order of St. Luke, an African American fraternal order.

11:30 a.m. Music by Swiss Swank Account Led by trombonist Pete Anderson, Swiss Swank Account plays music Mrs. Walker knew and we all love, especially from the Duke Ellington and Count Basie orchestras.

12:15 p.m. Greetings Councilman Charles Samuels and Congressman Robert “Bobby” Scott (invited) will present greetings in honor of Maggie Walker Heritage Day.

12:30 p.m. “African Folktales” by Jamar Jones Jamar Jones , a Richmond native and Sharpe Scholar at William & Mary, will perform "African Folktales . "

12:45 p.m. Presentation by Dr. Kim Q.B. Leathers Maggie Walker’s biographer, Dr. Leathers will present an ‘up close’ view of her.

1:10 p.m. “Maggie Walker: Faith, Hope & Courage” The Maggie Walker Governor’s School students will present a one-act play on the life and accomplishments of Mrs. Walker written by Ms. Lisa Williams.

1:10 p.m. Financial planning program: Protecting Your Money Mrs. Walker provided financial services then; current information will be provided now.

1:40 Music by the First African Baptist Church Choir

2:00 p.m. Meet Mrs. Maggie Lena Walker Ms. Jil Wilson-Robinson, a Maggie Walker re-enactor, shares Mrs. Walker’s lively speeches.

2:30 p.m. Maggie L. Walker Heritage Award Presentation The 2nd Annual Maggie L. Walker Heritage Award will be presented to local historian Elvatrice Parker Belsches for her work researching Maggie Lena Walker’s life and researching and writing a podcast tour of Jackson Ward.

The Jackson Ward podcast tour is available for download on iTunes and can be borrowed (player included) from the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Visitor Center.

2:50 p.m. Closing and Music by the First African Baptist Church Orchestra – “Lift Every Voice,” “America the Beautiful,” and other selections.

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Researching Mrs. Walker and African American History William & Mary students will present their research, including “Of Faith and Freedom: African American Theology,” “A Race Insured,” “African American Women in the Medical Field , ” “Protecting the Black Vote: African American Resistance to Jim Crow Disenfranchisement,” “Shame: Rape, Social Control and African American Women , ” and African American Washerwomen: A Tradition of Hard Work, Service and Organization.” For questions, contact Dr. Heather Huyck at [e-mail].

Food will be available from Mocha Temple and Louisiana Flair. Free ice cream will be served until it melts or runs out. Anyone wishing to share memories or memorabilia of Maggie Walker, the Independent Order of St. Luke, or have their memories of Jackson Ward recorded, is asked to contact Ms. Eola Dance at 804-771-2017 before April 10 th .

“This Second Maggie Walker Heritage Day recognizes the many sides of this amazing woman and her African American community that spread from Alabama to Rhode Island,” said David Ruth, superintendent of Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. “It is an opportunity to share her rich accomplishments and legacy with a wider audience in the Richmond community.”

About the Maggie Walker Heritage Day
The Maggie Walker Seminar is part of the Sharpe Community Scholars program of the College of William & Mary, a service learning program, that combines research into this period as well as projects including oral history research, work on preserving the St. Luke Building , and research into the St. Luke Collection of historic documents. In addition to the National Park Service, co - sponsors include the Historic Jackson Ward Association, Richmond City Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and Radio One. All activities are free and the public is invited to attend.