Richmond Heroes Among History's Giants

Richmond was home to several heroes that are among the giants of American History.  John Marshall, our nation's first Supreme Court Chief Justice, lived in the midst of what is now our city's courts complex and influenced the development of constitutional law in our nation.  Edgar Allan Poe, who grew up in Richmond, studied at the University of Virginia, and spent much of his career here.  Poe was perhaps one of the most influential figures in the history of American literature, and arguably invented the detective story and science fiction.

Our own Matthew Fontaine Maury, who was known as the Pathfinder of the Seas and the father of modern oceanography, was an experienced seaman and served as the first superintendent of the United States Naval Observatory.  


As editor of the Richmond Planet, one of the country's most influential African-American newspapers, John Mitchell, Jr. launched a crusade against lynching and segregation in the Jim Crow South that inspired a generation of black Americans.  At the same time, Richmond's Maggie Walker became a symbol of the strength and independence of African-American culture as an entrepreneur, community leader, and bank president.  Civil rights advocate and Richmonder Oliver Hill argued Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court and won when the Court in 1954 declared public school segregation was unconstitutional.  

Finally, Arthur Ashe, who was raised in Richmond and played tennis on our City's public courts, broke racial barriers in becoming one of the truly great champions of tennis.  These are just a few American heroes that have strong ties to our own Richmond, Virginia.


Mac Pence and Jeff Wells
your Richmond Virginia Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers at Maury Place at Monument