“Main Street and Market Square [i.e. Commercial Place], Norfolk, Va.”

In the early 20th century the overwhelming majority of African Americans in Norfolk lived in or near downtown where veterans and non-veterans were employed in shops, markets, hotels, bakeries, restaurants, and confectioneries. They worked as draymen, blacksmiths, cooks, carpenters, printers, longshoremen, and laborers.

Commercial Square, Norfolk, Virginia, 1905

The heart of Norfolk’s commercial activity was an easy walk from the waterfront. Banks, law offices, and print shops were situated near the court house, the customs house, shippping terminals, and the city market.

This photograph includes Miller and Rhoads (a major department store) and the armory. The structure in the center of the square was to become the base of Norfolk’s Confederate Monument. At the time I was ready to post this entry, I hadn’t come across a singular publication that gave source citations for its content.  I’ll keep looking and I’ll update this entry appropriately.

I didn’t want to hold this sidebar any longer so I’ve reluctantly decided to post it as is. I hope you find these sources helpful. The report from the Southern Poverty Law Center challenges the value of the “Confederate Soldier Monument” in the context of today’s social and political climate.

Downtown Norfolk: Confederate Monument”
On top of a white, Vermont granite base stands a 15-foot figure of a Confederate soldier. The monument commemorates the last reunion of surviving confederate soldiers. Unveiled in May 1907, the soldier was created by Norfolk artist William Couper.”

“Confederate Monument, Norfolk, Virginia — American Civil War Monuments and Memorials on Waymarking.com”

Katherine Hafner, Amir Vera, and Ryan Murphy. “Intentional or not, local confederate monuments were built on or near former slave sites,” The Virginian-Pilot, pilotonline.com, August 18, 2017

“History of Hampton Roads’ Confederate Monuments” (2:20) YouTube, August 21, 2017
[Note: This video features Cassandra Newby-Alexander, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History Department, at Norfolk State University, and Troy Valos, a Special Collections Librarian at Norfolk Public Library. — Leslie]]

 

“Whose Heritage? A Report on Public Symbols of the Confederacy” by the Southern Poverty Law Center