Blacksburg Museum, City and African American history museum in Blacksburg, Virginia
The Blacksburg Museum is a city and African American history museum in Blacksburg, Virginia, run by the nonprofit Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation, which oversees two historic buildings: the Alexander Black House and the St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall. The Alexander Black House holds rotating exhibits on local history and art, a children's room, a gift shop featuring local artists, and a genealogy research center.
The Alexander Black House was built in 1896 after a fire destroyed the original home, and it reflects the wealth of a family that shaped both the town and the nearby Virginia Tech. After Alexander Black died in 1935, the house became a boarding house and then a funeral home before the town bought it in 2002 to prevent demolition.
The St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall was once part of a neighborhood called New Town, built by African American residents who lacked the resources available to white residents at the time. They constructed churches and gathering halls to support one another, and the building standing today is the last physical trace of that community.
The museum is located in the center of Blacksburg, Virginia, and is open to visitors of all ages, with a dedicated space for children inside the Alexander Black House. Those interested in genealogy research should check ahead for the monthly Saturday sessions, which offer access to local records and expert guidance.
The Alexander Black House was physically moved across Draper Road to save it from demolition, then sat empty for years while funding for restoration was raised. The first restored floor opened to the public in 2014, well over a century after the house was originally built.
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