Editor's Note: We're sharing this essay from community content partner Jon Baliles of RVA 5x5. If you enjoy his work and want more in-depth coverage of Richmond politics and history, consider subscribing to RVA 5x5 on Substack. The views expressed are those of the...
“The rebel yell, reinforced by a glorification of the lost cause was everywhere manifest,” reported John Mitchell Jr., editor of the Richmond Planet, an African American weekly newspaper, at the time of the Robert E. Lee monument’s unveiling. It was the spring of 1890. Boxes adorned with Confederate flags held the 12-ton bust, as a faithful...
This isn’t your typical Renaissance faire. On Saturday, August 2nd, Warriors in Bloom takes over Agecroft Halll, not to rehash the old, but to reimagine it entirely. Organized by the nonprofit Virago Alley, this one-day festival puts the spotlight on the original disruptors the women and gender-diverse warriors from history who didn’t...
In this city of the dead, I felt the weight of history bearing down upon me, the accumulated whispers of the past echoing through the hollows of my ears like a mournful sigh. No one needs teachings to realize that this ancient place wields some mystery. The James River, a lifeblood of sorts, flowed quietly in the distance, but my immediate...
After Halloween winds down, we shifted into a quieter, more reflective space with the Day of the Dead weekend. Hollywood Cemetery, with its rolling hills and historic monuments, offers the perfect spot to pause, remember loved ones, and reflect on the city’s layered history. Photographer Kimberly Frost, along with publisher R. Anthony Harris,...
Richmond’s legendary intergalactic overlords, GWAR, are set to honor their late founder and frontman, Dave Brockie, with a permanent monument in Hollywood Cemetery, one of the city’s most historic resting places. The unveiling will take place on Friday, August 30, at 2 PM, and fans, friends, and fellow scumdogs are invited to attend and pay their...
An old piece of stone often holds more meaning than one might suspect, particularly in a city like Richmond. Although stone carved into monuments or statues may generate friction, a great deal more of it can remind us to ruminate on not only our history, but ourselves. On a recent afternoon, a tour guide from The Valentine took RVA Mag on a...
Long before the campaign rallies, the presidential debates, and the White House, Barack Obama was just another college freshman trying to figure out who he wanted to become. A newly released collection of photographs offers a rare glimpse into that version of Obama during his freshman year at Occidental College in Los Angeles. Taken in the early...
