Mr. Richard Stewart
Mr. Richard A. Stewart
Mr. Stewart, the “unofficial mayor” of Pocahontas Island, a historic location that was once home to the largest population of free blacks in the South before the Civil War. He is the curator and proprietor of the Pocahontas Island Black History Museum, which he started in 2003. His museum is jam-packed with artifacts and memorabilia, including actual slave shackles and a KKK robe. He has a deep passion for history and a responsibility as an entrusted steward of Pocahontas Island.
Mr. Stewart passed away on April 13, 2023, the night before this exhibit opened. There is a great sense of shock and sadness in Petersburg, and he will be sorely missed.
About the photo: Mr. Stewart is seated in the middle of one of the rooms at his museum on Pocahontas Island.
March 15, 2023
For more information:
In Memoriam: Mr. Stewart
Videos: Petersburg Tourism CBS News The Promise Land (Full Documentary)
Articles: Richmond Magazine Preserving History Ancestral History Underground Railroad