News Release
Morgan Avery McCoy
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Contact: Andrea DeKoter
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site Debuts New Education Videos for 1st and 4th Graders
RICHMOND, Va. – Just in time for the start of a new school year, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, working with Morgan Avery McCoy Inc., will unveil two new education films for teachers to use to talk about Maggie Walker’s life and the time period in which she lived.
Written and produced by award-winning Richmond filmmaker Morgan Avery McCoy Harris, the films build on Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for 1st and 4th graders, bringing Walker’s story to life in a format that is readily accessible to young audiences. In the 1st grade film Blast into the Past: Meet Mrs. Maggie L. Walker, Walker (portrayed by Kesha Afrika Lucas) grants an interview to a young Junior Ranger (portrayed by Riley Roberts) who has traveled in a time machine to meet her hero and ask questions for her student newspaper. The 4th grade film, Maggie Walker Explains Jim Crow, features Walker (Lucas) meeting three present-day students (portrayed by Lucy Diaz Miranda, Erynn Castel and Simon Weber), explaining the injustices and institutionalized racism she and other Black Americans faced during her lifetime and how she challenged that system.
“Maggie Walker’s life and legacy serve as a powerful reminder to all of us of the power of individuals to change history,” said Doyle Sapp, Superintendent of Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site and Richmond National Battlefield Park. “We are deeply grateful to Ms. McCoy Harris and her talented team for their work in bringing her inspirational story to life for young students.”
Both films will be available by late August on the park’s YouTube page at MaggieWalkerNPS - YouTube, and through the park website at www.nps.gov/mawa. Teachers can also request to borrow a DVD by emailing Park Ranger Ben Anderson (Benjamin_Anderson@nps.gov).
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 both 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 park, please call the visitor center at (804) 226-5041, visit www.nps.gov/mawa or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MaggieL.WalkerNHS
Last updated: July 28, 2022