A Legacy on Leigh Street

A Legacy on Leigh Street. Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site. This Italianate mansion was once the bustling home of pioneering African American entrepreneur Maggie Lena Walker (1864- 1934). Walker lived here for the final thirty years of her life and greatly expanded the home to accommodate four generations of her family. Walker’s opulent home, and those of her successful neighbors, earned the 100 block of East Leigh Street the nickname “Quality Row.” Walker’s family continued to care for the house long after her death. Today, visitors can experience the home just as Walker intended it: a place of inspiration where all are welcome., Visiting her home , Walker's exquisitely decorated home reflected her significant achievements, and most of the furnishings currently on display belonged to her. Guided tours are available during operating hours. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/mawa, (sidebar) , Queen of Quality Row , Maggie L. Walker rose to national prominence as a crusader for racial justice, women’s rights, and economic empowerment. As the leader of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a large black fraternal order, Walker chartered the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903. She became the nation’s first African American female bank president., “Mrs. Walker is considered one of the outstanding women of her race and is sometimes referred to as ‘the Queen of Negro fraternal leaders’ and ‘the phenomenon in banking circles.’ , Lester Walton, The New York World, 1924, (captions) , (lower left) Walker purchased her house in 1904 from an African American physician named Robert E. Jones (in carriage). She added the columned porch in 1922, giving the home the stately appearance you see today., (upper right) Maggie Lena Walker, ca. 1905 . This historical marker was erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. It is in Richmond Virginia