Explore Charlottesville and Albemarle County's Black History

Get to know Black-owned businesses across Charlottesville and Albemarle County this month through Discover Black Cville. You’ll find a full slate of Black-owned-and-operated tourism experiences, from restaurants and shops to activities and attractions, including the ones below.

Stay in the heart of Charlottesville at the Black-owned 10th Street Bed & Breakfast. The charming accommodation is walking distance to the University of Virginia Grounds, as well as shopping and dining options along West Main Street.

While you're on West Main Street, make a stop to dine at The Ridley. Owned by restauranteurs Warren Thompson and Ron Jordan, the restaurant is part of the Draftsman Hotel and named after Dr. Walter Ridley, the first Black student to graduate from UVA and receive a graduate degree from any major historically white public university in the South. Thompson and Jordan opened the restaurant with the vision of it becoming a gathering place where African-American students and UVA Black Alumni could dine with pride. The Ridley menu offers delicious Southern fare, upscale cocktails, and fresh seafood dishes like shrimp and grits and Virginia oysters.

After your meal, continue on to the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall. One of the most popular places to explore in Charlottesville, the Downtown Mall was established in the 1970s by Charles Barbour, Charlottesville's first Black Mayor, who wanted to transform a section of Main Street into a bustling pedestrian mall. See his dream fulfilled when you visit the shops, restaurants, and attractions along the Downtown Mall today.

Bonus: take the Black History Walking Tour of Downtown Charlottesville which focuses on the history of the local African American community, race relations, and how events in the past continue to affect the city today.

Visit two historic spaces dedicated to some of Charlottesville's most influential Black residents and leaders.

Jefferson School African American Heritage Center

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center (JSAAHC) serves as a historic site, museum, event venue, and community gathering space all in one. Located within the historic Jefferson School City Center, the JSAAHC maintains a calendar of programming and events. They're also home to the Charlottesville Players Guild, a Black Theater committed to pieces written and performed from the Black perspective.

The Heritage Center's permanent exhibit, Pride Overcomes Prejudice, connects the past to the present. The exhibit showcases stories and contributions from Black families, business owners, educators, and activists, and how they shaped the Charlottesville area as we know it today.

First located on West Main Street, The Jefferson School opened as a Freedman's School in 1865 before it moved moved to its current location on 4th Street NW — the area that would evolve to be the center of African American social and commercial life. The Jefferson High School opened at the site in 1926, consolidating Black education into one area and operating as the only Black high school in the city until 1951.

The JSAAHC opened in 2013 as an anchor tenant of the Jefferson School City Center which is also home to the city's Carver Recreation Center, the YMCA Early Learning and Preschool Program, Pearl Island Catering, and more.

Ivy Creek Natural Area & Historic River View Farm

Just minutes from Downtown Charlottesville, the Ivy Creek Natural Area & Historic River View Farm is an official stop along the National Park Service's Reconstruction Era National Historic Network.

The property dates back to 1870 when Mr. Hugh Carr, a formerly enslaved person, purchased the land as a family farm. Hugh Carr later passed the property on to his daughter, Mary Carr, and her husband Conly Greer, and the land became known as River View Farm. The couple furthered River View Farm's rich social and agricultural history and are celebrated for their significant contributions to Charlottesville's African American community.

River View Farm was in the Carr and Greer families for a century before becoming the Ivy Creek Natural Area. Visitors can take the River View Farm tour or participate in monthly talks and programming exploring the history of the Carr/Greer family. You can also explore the property's 215-acre nature preserve with seven miles of trails.

Monticello

Much work has been done in recent years to tell a more complete story of Thomas Jefferson’s mountaintop estate, Monticello, and the 600+ African Americans who were enslaved there by the former President. One result of this work is the From Slavery to Freedom Tour, a 2.5 hour tour offered Friday-Sundays in the winter, as well as the new Contemplative Site which invites visitors to read the names of enslaved peoples at Monticello and honor their contributions to this historic site.

Monticello has also launched the Getting Word African American Oral History Project. This virtual exhibit includes more than 100 interviews aimed at preserving the stories of Monticello's enslaved families and their descendants.

University of Virginia

In addition to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia, another institution with a complex racial history. The self-guided African Americans Walking Tour takes visitors around Grounds and introduces you to some of the people, places, and stories related to early African American life at the school. In addition, the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers can be visited 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and serves as a tribute to the enslaved individuals and families who built and maintained the University of Virginia.

The Charlottesville area was recently named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and we're proud to be home to a dynamic and inclusive wine scene that's writing a new story in Virginia wine. Local wine collectives like Oenoverse are leading the way with their annual Two Up, Wine Down festival, as well as scholarships and programming that support emerging wine professionals from under-represented backgrounds.

You can explore our award-winning wine scene and support Black-owned businesses this month when you take advantage of these opportunities:

• Schedule a wine tour or personal tasting with Black Women Who Wine or Harmony Wine.
• Book with Shaniece Be Just Be Well for a luxury picnic experience at an area winery.

Get the most out of Black History Month in Charlottesville and Albemarle County by booking a stay. Whether you’re searching for a hotel that is walking distance from UVA and the Downtown Mall, or a quiet cottage near one of our area’s stunning wineries, choose from a wide array of beautiful accommodations. Use the map on our “Places to Stay” page to help locate your perfect stay.