At the end of June, we sadly said goodbye to our office at 217 Clay Street in Jackson Ward—an address we’ve occupied for 21 years, ever since we bought and renovated our building back in 1999. We’ve treasured every moment in this historic neighborhood.
For anyone unfamiliar with the history of Jackson Ward, it’s an area that’s been referred to as the “Harlem of the South” and “Black Wall Street.” Located about a mile from the Virginia State Capitol, Jackson Ward is a National Historic Landmark District that has been a hub of Black business, culture, and history since the 1800s. By the 1920s, the area was one of the most vibrant and successful Black areas in the country.
Jackson Ward was perhaps most famous for its entertainment district, built around the Hippodrome Theater, host to a star-studded array of musicians and entertainers, including James Brown, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and native Richmonder Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. We’ve been passing by a statue of Robinson, dancing on a staircase at the intersection of Chamberlayne Parkway and West Leigh Street, on our way to the office for decades. But the area is equally rich in religious and political history, homes to landmark churches such as Third Street Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Ebenezer Baptist Church as well as the first bank founded and led by a woman, Maggie L. Walker. Walker’s house, also in Jackson Ward is a National Historic Site and part of the National Park Service.
We were proud to contribute to the rich tapestry of the history of this area, and it pains us to leave it behind. But our departure is a sign of progress; our building simply could not keep up with our firm’s growth, and we’re in need of a bigger space to serve our clients better.
Now, we’re located at 5206 Markel Road, Suite 200, in the Willow Lawn area. We believe this readily accessible location, in the heart of a growing commercial district, will give us the opportunity to reach more of our clients and make it more convenient for them to find us.
We are looking forward to continuing to serve you there. If you have a legal matter involving an injury, disability, or workers’ compensation claim that you’d like to discuss, please call us today.