Historical Perspective...

OUAT Blog for May 9th

Last week was the grand opening of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia located in the National Historic Landmark District of Jackson Ward in Richmond, Virginia. This museum represents a vital resource to the entire community bringing awareness of a long and little known history of  generations of people and families who have fought for "equality and justice for all",  a phrase used by Mr. John Thomas Mitchell, a Jackson Ward resident we interviewed who will celebrate his 100th birthday this October.

OUAT was tasked with producing a short documentary video, "Celebrating Jackson Ward: Past, Present and Future" sponsored by the Richmond Symphony.  This opportunity enabled me to personally speak to men and women who represent the Jackson Ward neighborhood and to see that history through their life experience as former residents spanning over 90 years.

Even though I grew up in and around the city of Richmond, I realized just how little I knew about my own "hometown" when we started filming.  Once the process got underway, I quickly began to realize that my participation was actually more than just documenting history, it was passing on this history to those who, like myself, had never known or heard these stories before.

This experience has caused me to have a serious shift in my historical perspective in which I now view my hometown and the people who are alive today who have imparted their history to me.  The perspective of our collective history now causes me to have an even deeper appreciation for the Mr. Mitchell's of the world, or the impact of Mrs. Maggie L. Walker, or the appreciation for the alumni of Armstrong High School from the 1930's or Maggie Walker High School alumni from the 1950's.

My historical perspective is changing... it's growing... and I am learning to appreciate things today that I never gave thought to yesterday. Whether they be buildings, locations or people, my hometown's value has taken on a fresh new meaning... a meaning that I am proud to share and honored to be a part of for the generations to come.

Ryan Heathcock, Dr. Lauranett Lee & Mr. Gary L. Flowers co-producers of "Jackson Ward: Past, Present and Future".