The Story of the First Black Woman to Own a Bank
Maggie L. Walker was the first African American woman to charter a bank in 1903 and serve as its president
Strolling through Jackson Ward, the historic district in Richmond, Virginia once known as the “Harlem of the South,” it seems every building, every block, is steeped in African American history, culture, and pride.
I’d first visited this community before the global pandemic shutdowns and collective loss. Established by free and formerly enslaved Black people shortly after the Civil War, it was one of the most prosperous African American enclaves at the turn of the 20th Century. Following a period of decline, there’s renewed energy, revitalization.
On Second Street, the restored Hippodrome Theater is where entertainment legends from Ella Fitzgerald to James Brown performed. Near a busy intersection stands a gleaming statue of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, the vaudeville tap dancer and classic Hollywood film star, who is a native son of the city. In every direction are Black-owned restaurants, shops, and colorful murals.
Crossing over to East Leigh Street, a sidewalk banner caught my eye. An oversized vintage photograph showed an alabaster-hued, statuesque “sista” from the early 20th century, dripping in fur and…
