A girl with a t - shirt that says i am black history - black history sites

Self-guided · principal city, Virginia

Black History Sites in Norfolk, VA

Schools, churches, cemeteries and neighborhoods built and kept by Black Americans, listed with the history on the record.

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Photo: Anthony McKissic on Unsplash

Norfolk is one of the cities the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA-NC metro area is officially named after. Black History Sites are spread across the country in places most people would not guess. The list below shows how close the nearest ones are to Norfolk, VA.

People sitting on chairs near black metal fence during daytime - black history sites — Photo: Derek Lamar on Unsplash

A young African American woman casting her ballot in 1964 - black history sites — Photo: Unseen Histories on Unsplash

Rosa Parks gives a speech at the Poor Peoples March in 1968 - black history sites — Photo: Unseen Histories on Unsplash

On the record near Norfolk, VA

The 12 nearest

12 listed sites on the record match black history sites within 120 miles of Norfolk, VA, out of 142 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

St. John's African Methodist Episcopal Churchunder a mile from the center of Norfolk · Building · Norfolk (Independent City) · listed 1986National Register of Historic Places
Cape Charles Rosenwald School32 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Cape Charles · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
Coinjock Colored School38 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Coinjock · listed 2013National Register of Historic Places
Jarvisburg Colored School52 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Jarvisburg · listed 2009National Register of Historic Places
Parrish Hill Rosenwald School54 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Charles City · listed 2025National Register of Historic Places
Julius Rosenwald High School,70 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Reedville · listed 2023National Register of Historic Places
First African Baptist Church79 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Richmond (Independent City) · listed 1969National Register of Historic Places
Third Street Bethel A.M.E. Church80 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Richmond (Independent City) · listed 1975National Register of Historic Places
Williamston Colored School82 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Williamson · listed 2014National Register of Historic Places
Church Home for Aged, Infirm and Disabled Colored People89 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Broadnax · listed 2004National Register of Historic Places
Hickory Hill Slave and African American Cemetery (Additional Documentation)89 miles from the center of Norfolk · Site · Ashland · listed 2020National Register of Historic Places
Hughes A.M.E. Chapel111 miles from the center of Norfolk · Building · Cambridge · listed 2018National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Norfolk, VA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Black History Sites in Norfolk, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Norfolk, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Norfolk, VA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Norfolk, VA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Norfolk

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Norfolk, VA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Norfolk, VA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.