The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center is a 501(c) 3 whose mission is to honor and preserve the rich heritage and legacy of the African American community of Charlottesville-Albemarle, Virginia. Through inter-generational offerings, the Center will promote a greater appreciation for and understanding of, the contributions of peoples of color locally, nationally, and globally.

The Heritage Center is located in the heart of the African American community, its main constituency. In the early 1960s, the City of Charlottesville undertook an urban renewal project that ruptured the core of the African American community. When the Vinegar Hill neighborhood, sited in the very center of historic downtown Charlottesville, was removed, 29 business and many more homes were lost, and many residents were relocated to public housing built for that purpose. Subsequently, over the course of the last fifty years this community has lacked a clear cultural center. Studies indicate that art and cultural programs such as those offered by the Heritage Center improve overall achievement for adults and children; create strong social networks; bring together diverse groups of people; fosters a sense of community; and builds relationships.

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center will offer this community a place to call home, the only site in Charlottesville where African American traditions and history will be readily available for education and entertainment. Our permanent, interactive exhibition will describe the role Jefferson School played in the development of public school education in Virginia and in our the nation. Our Genealogy Center will offer local residents the chance to see how their family histories connect to the nation’s African American story. Temporary exhibitions, lectures, film series and performances will increase and diversify the cultural choices in our community and, our art and language classes will allow K-12 students and life-long learners alike, to engage with cultural production that reflects the diversity of our American landscape.