Five years into the renovation of a 143-year-old brick house on East Clay Street in Jackson Ward, James Vigeant’s work halted.
To his surprise and amazement, he found an unexpected treasure 144 moldy boxes filled with the decaying legal papers of one of Richmond’s legal giants, Roland J. “Duke” Ealey.
Royster views these genealogy projects as having the potential to promote healing and mental health. The knowledge gained might fill a void that can t otherwise be filled, she said. And the resulting sense of connectivity might enhance feelings of kinship and stem community violence.