New Portsmouth museum celebrating Black women gets $1M boost from Virginia
TheGrio...
Virginia lawmakers have invested $1 million in the Museum of Black Women Innovators in Portsmouth, set to honor 250 Black women whose contributions changed history.
A new museum dedicated to celebrating the often overlooked contributions of Black women is coming to Portsmouth, Virginia, and it’s doing so with a significant financial boost from the state. WHRO reported that Virginia lawmakers set aside $1 million for the Museum of Black Women Innovators, a development that founder Angela Reddix described as a welcome surprise when the state budget was finalized last month.
The museum’s mission is rooted in a simple but revealing exercise. Reddix said she frequently asks people whether they can name Black women whose inventions reshaped everyday life, and the answer is usually no.
Speaking with WHRO, she pointed to figures like Mary Beatrice Davison Kenner, who patented an adjustable sanitary belt in the 1950s, and Marian Croak, whose more than 200 patents include foundational work on Voice over Internet Protocol technology. She also highlighted Sarah Goode, who patented a folding cabinet bed in 1885. “She reimagined how we live in small spaces, yet many don’t know her name now,” Reddix said.
To mark the nation’s 250th birthday, the museum plans to feature 250 Black women whose work left a lasting imprint across 14 categories, including science, technology, politics and activism. According to WHRO, a board of accomplished Black women is curating the selections, with each honoree’s story brought to life through commissioned artwork and input gathered from communities nationwide.
Reddix emphasized that the state’s investment reaches well beyond bricks and mortar. She told WHRO the funding will allow students to visit the museum free of charge while also drawing tourism and strengthening Virginia’s creative economy.
Perhaps the most striking element is the museum’s location itself. It will occupy the first floor of The Mustard Seed Place, a building that once operated as The Famous Department Store during segregation, when Black people were barred from shopping or working there.
Reddix shared that one of the store’s first Black employees was an elevator operator named Anna, whose story surfaced through a community meeting and connections with her relatives. “It’s just amazing hearing the stories of women that we knew nothing about,” she said.
Per WHRO’s reporting, the museum is slated for a soft opening in November, with a grand opening to follow in early 2027.