moore_street_school

moore_street_school This page is to gain support for the efforts to save this architectural landmark 1887 built Moore Street School.

Currently this building is slowly being demolished due to lack of maintenance.

04/24/2026

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/jazz-workshop-featuring-the-quentin-walston-trio

Student Jazz Workshop Featuring the Quentin Walston Trio

The Moore Street School Foundation in conjunction with The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School proudly presents a dynamic Student Jazz Workshop featuring the acclaimed Quentin Walston Trio, part of our ongoing “Bet on Jazz” music series.

This special event is made possible through a generous matching grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, whose support continues to elevate arts education in our community.

We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Lisa Williams, Ms. Robinette Cross and Mr. Nicholas Merrillat of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for their partnership in coordinating and hosting this impactful experience for young musicians.

The Quentin Walston Trio brings together exceptional talent:
● Quentin Walston – Piano
● Daniel Kelly II – Drums
● Jacob Stone – Bass

Workshop Clinic Experience
During this interactive clinic, the trio will work directly with four jazz ensembles from the Richmond area. Drawing from decades of professional performance experience, the artists will listen, evaluate, and provide constructive feedback and hands-on coaching.

Each ensemble will receive 30 minutes of personalized instruction, focusing on strengthening ensemble cohesion, improvisation, and overall musicianship. This immersive learning environment is designed to inspire growth, confidence, and artistic excellence in the
next generation of jazz musicians.

03/14/2026

An Evening of Music for a Historic Cause

Join us for a special benefit concert featuring Sound Impact String Ensemble in support of the Moore Street School Foundation. This powerful performance will help advance the rehabilitation of the historic Moore Street School—built in 1887 to educate African American children in Richmond—and support its future as a vibrant Jazz and community arts center.

Thanks to a matching grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, every contribution made during this event will have an even greater impact.

Come experience an unforgettable evening of music while helping preserve an important piece of Richmond’s history and investing in the next generation of artists and students.

02/18/2026

Before highways were safe and hotels were welcoming, the The Negro Motorist Green Book was a lifeline.

Created in 1936 by Harlem postal worker Victor Hugo Green, the Green Book listed hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and private homes where Black travelers could safely eat, sleep, and refuel during the Jim Crow era.

Its value wasn’t just in the addresses—it was in the dignity it protected. It offered mobility, economic opportunity, and peace of mind in a time when a wrong turn could mean humiliation or danger.

The Green Book represents resilience, community networks, and Black entrepreneurship. Families built road trip memories because someone took the time to map out safe spaces. Businesses thrived because they were seen, listed, and supported.

Today, it stands as both a reminder of segregation’s harsh realities and a testament to collective care and ingenuity.
Know the history. Honor the resilience.

02/08/2026

It feels as if I had known Bill Martin for decades. However, when I think about it we have known each other for 6 years. I guess the reason it feels longer is due to engagement and discussions about historic preservation.

Thanks Bill for being a resource, sounding board, champion for the restoration of Moore Street School.

02/03/2026
12/29/2025

The Moore Street School Foundation deeply appreciated the opportunity to have Bill Martin as a sounding board, an unofficial advisor, and a champion. Rest well and thanks.

12/27/2025

In 1905, Moore Street School stood alone—built to serve Black children in Richmond during an era when separate was mandated by law, not choice. It was the only public school building in the neighborhood, created within a segregated system that denied equity while demanding resilience.

By 1925, the school expanded. Growth was needed, but the purpose remained unchanged: to maintain public school segregation as Richmond’s Black population increased. Investment came not from a belief in equality, but from an insistence on keeping educational systems divided.

In 1952, another expansion followed with the addition of Carver Elementary School. Even as the nation stood on the edge of Brown v. Board of Education, Richmond doubled down on segregation—building more facilities to preserve separation rather than integration.

Each expansion tells a story not just of bricks and classrooms, but of policy, resistance, and survival. Today, Moore Street School stands as a powerful reminder of how history shaped our communities—and why reclaiming and reprogramming these spaces matters.

History must be remembered to be transformed, which is the mission of The Moore Street School Foundation a 501C3 organization.

HistoricPreservation BetOnJazz TellTheFullStory
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12/23/2025

The Moore Street School Foundation is trending upward as our efforts to rehabilitate the historic Moore Street School continue to gain momentum. Each step forward brings us closer to transforming this landmark into the Jazz Center at Moore Street School—a space for culture, history, and community to thrive.

From restoration planning to pre-programming, the vision is becoming clearer every day.

Stay tuned for the upcoming “Save Moore Street School: Bet on Jazz” music series—where preservation meets performance and jazz helps power the future of this historic space.

The rhythm is building. The legacy continues.

Www.moorestreetschool.org/donate

Address

P O. Box 25305
Richmond, VA
23260

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