A Love Letter to Black Charlottesville
Thursday, October 15, 2026
by Khalilah Jones
Photography Credit: Brian Dunn, Ellie Dunn & Corrine Ice (promo photos, Best In Black Cville and Soul of Cville Saturday) Kingdom LLC. (Legacy Lounge: A Sophisticated Harlem Renaissance Affair) Blue Period Media (Best In Black Cville Black Professional Network VIP Reception)
There are some festival themes that look super cute on a T-shirt. Like, OKAY theme!
And then there are themes that follow you around all week, show up in unexpected places, and make you look at your mama, your child, your mentor, your business, your community and yourself a little differently.
Future Heirlooms: We Are The Ancestors was the latter.
From August 10–16, 2026, Soul Of Cville brought a week of Black culture, creativity, entrepreneurship, music, fashion, history, community and unapologetic joy to Charlottesville. Whew! That’s a heavy lift! But underneath every event was one question:
What are we creating today that somebody else will inherit tomorrow?
That question wasn’t just the theme. It was the blueprint.
The torch.
The camera.
The phone.
The runway.
The business.
The song.
The recipe.
The story.
All of it pointed back to one idea: we are not simply carrying what was handed to us. We are creating what someone else will one day carry.
And if you were paying attention, Charlottesville got a whole lot of receipts.
Soul Of Cville opened at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center with the Jefferson School 100-Year Celebration and Prolyfyck Legacy Run/Walk.
There was something beautifully full-circle about beginning a festival centered on future generations by honoring a place that has already carried a century of Black history, education and community.
Approximately 250 alumni, runners, walkers, families and community members gathered to celebrate the school’s 100 years while literally and symbolically passing the torch forward. Like a legit torch, ya’ll.
And we have to give a huge Soul Of Cville shoutout to Prolyfyck Run Creww.
Earlier this summer, Prolyfyck selected Soul Of Cville as one of the beneficiaries of its Vinegar Hill Endurance Challenge, a 52-hour endurance fundraiser in which participants ran or walked approximately 4.5 miles every four hours through historically Black communities in Charlottesville. That’s about 63 miles if you completed the whole thing, because apparently regular running wasn’t sufficiently ambitious.
But that support meant so much more than a check.
Those funds helped us continue offering programming while keeping as much of it as possible free or low-cost for our community. That kind of investment is what it looks like when people aren’t just talking about community. They’re putting their resources behind it.
Then came one of the most intentional additions to Soul Of Cville 2026: Legacy Lounge: A Sophisticated Harlem Renaissance Garden Affair at the Fralin Museum.
And listen.
We were not playing with the ambience.
The scene was set with meaningful Harlem Renaissance-inspired garden decor which included art pieces from Jacob Lawrence. Though his career followed the Harlem Renaissance, Jacob Lawrence’s vivid depictions of Black history, resilience, and everyday life echoed its spirit, reminding us that telling our stories and preserving our experiences is an essential part of shaping what future generations inherit.
Decor, provided by Blooming Diamonds, created a space that felt elegant, intentional and very much like somebody’s rich Auntie had been given a budget and told, “Make it gorgeous.”
Guests enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by The Pie Guy (mini curry chicken and sweet potato pie? Yes, please!), desserts and signature drinks from Krissy Cakes, including The Ancestor cocktail and The Heir mocktail, while live music from Jen Tal Band set the mood. And because apparently we cannot gather Black people anywhere without somebody saying, “Wait, let me get a picture,” the ever-popular 360 booth from No Shade and Kingdom LLC. was there to document the evening.
But the beauty wasn’t the point.
The connection was.
Approximately 60 guests gathered across generations: grandparents, mothers and daughters, mentors and mentees, preteens and young professionals for an intimate kee-kee. The goal wasn’t simply to put generations in the same atmosphere. It was to get them engaged and talking.
And then there was the phone.
A vintage telephone became a time machine of sorts, allowing guests to leave messages for their future selves, their younger selves and generations still to come.
Sometimes what we pass forward isn’t something you can put in a box.
Sometimes it’s advice.
Sometimes it’s the “I wish somebody had told me this sooner.”
Sometimes it’s the reminder that you are doing better than you think.
And sometimes it’s a message from an elder that a child will carry for the rest of their life.
It is not a coincidence that this event fell on August 12th, a date that holds significance for Charlottesville. It was important that we reclaim this day and change the narrative and messaging for future generations.
Soul Karaoke, hosted in partnership with the Black Professional Network at Mejicali, took another route to preserving culture.
Classic R&B. Hip-hop. Gospel. Big voices. Questionable song choices. Excellent memories.
Music has always been more than entertainment in Black culture. It has been our celebration, our comfort, our storytelling and, when necessary, our resistance. From spirituals and freedom songs that carried hope through oppression to anthems like “We Shall Overcome” and James Brown’s “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,” music has given us a way to speak truth to power, demand change and affirm our humanity when the world tried to silence us. And just as importantly, it has given us permission to laugh, dance, love and find joy in the midst of it all. Our music has always known how to hold both the struggle and the celebration.
Know this, culture doesn’t only survive in museums.
It survives because somebody still knows every word to Sam Cooke’s “A Change Gonna Come.”
It survives because somebody’s mama introduced them to Stevie Wonder.
It survives because Beyonce, Frankie Beverly & Maze, Kendrick Lamar and Luther Vandross can somehow end up living in the same cultural ecosystem.
And yes, some of us were singing like we had high expectations of being discovered that night on Main Street of Charlottesville, Virginia…mind your business.
Soul Karaoke reminded us that sometimes the simplest way to pass a heirloom forward is to keep participating in it and encouraging Black Joy, like it’s your job!
Somebody has to keep singing!
Friday brought Best In Black Cville, the premier recognition program presented by Vinegar Hill Magazine, the organization that created the Best In Black Cville recognition. While Chic and Classy Image Consulting produces the Best In Black Cville awards ceremony.
This partnership with Soul Of Cville is one of those full-circle moments that deserves to be acknowledged.
Soul Of Cville has always been about creating space for Black stories, Black excellence and Black joy. That desire to uplift and amplify our community naturally grew into our partnership with Vinegar Hill Magazine and the evolution of Best In Black Cville into a fuller celebration of the people building Charlottesville’s Black community.
The numbers: this year, approximately 200 people gathered on 3 floors of Live Arts Theater, with 60 VIP guests, 20+ legacy pop-up branding photoshoots by Kreative Kulture and more than 30 community recognitions.
The event was presented with support from United Way and the VIP reception was hosted by the Black Professional Network.
And then there was the weather.
Apparently, we weren’t allowed to have an event without a little plot development. The proverbial uno reverse on an event.
There was a tornado warning that evening. A tornado supercell hit Charlottesville around 5:30 pm on that Friday. Winds came through the east side of town and brought down large trees and knocked out power. 2.2” hail was reported as well.
A legit tornado warning.
On the night we were supposed to put Black excellence in its finest clothes and celebrate.
And yet people came.
People drove through that weather. They showed up. They took their seats. They walked that black carpet. They celebrated. They stayed.
To every single person who risked life and limb to come celebrate with us, thank you.
Seriously.
We know what that meant.
And look at God.
The storm passed, the celebration went on, and somehow we managed to have an absolutely incredible night with folks still safely in the building.
Sometimes the ancestors really do be working overtime.
Best In Black Cville also featured a multigenerational conversation with five Black business owners (Dr. Richard Johnson, Hit The Deck Entertainment, James Dowell, Prolyfyck Run Creww, Kevin and Mislie Clarke, Nothing Bundt Cakes and Brittany Johnson, Around The Way Girl Nails Academy) about building businesses, careers and futures outside of traditional pathways.
The message?
You don’t have to inherit the blueprint. Sometimes you build one.
That sentiment ran through the entire evening.
The Miss Cville Juneteenth Royal Court helped present awards. Mr. Charles Alexander, representative of the Charlottesville 12, presented the Let’s Intentionally Thrive ( L.I.T.) Legacy Award. Adult and youth models shared the runway.
The future wasn’t waiting backstage.
The past wasn’t sitting quietly in the audience.
They were onstage together.
And that was exactly the point.
The fashion show during Best In Black Cville was choreographed and coached by Runway Collective by Micah, bringing movement, style and storytelling together under the Future Heirlooms theme.
The soundtrack did its own historical heavy lifting, with songs from artists including Teena Marie, The Delfonics, Missy Elliott, the Fugees, Otis Redding, Jay-Z and Kanye helping tell the story through music.
Because if we’re talking about where we’ve been and where we’re going, you can’t just talk.
Sometimes you need a beat.
And a runway.
And somebody who knows how to hit the pose.
The evening also honored the late Eddie Harris, founder of Vinegar Hill Magazine and a foundational figure connected to Best In Black Cville.
His son, Rico Harris, continued that creative legacy as a contributing stylist for the Saturday fashion show.
That story became even more poignant during the Soul Of Cville promotional photography.
The festival’s promotional imagery intentionally centered intergenerational relationships. We photographed a grandmother and granddaughter, a father and his two children, and other family connections that embodied the idea without needing a single word printed across the image.
We also included Rico, representing his late father, Eddie Harris.
A father documented Black excellence.
A son helped style its next chapter.
That is Future Heirlooms.
The festival photography itself was supported by a father-daughter photography duo, creating another beautiful layer of the story we were trying to tell.
And that was intentional.
The camera became one of the ways we preserved the moment.
Because what we document becomes part of what future generations know about us.
Black folks will absolutely say, “Congratulations, queen/bro,” and then immediately ask, “So what you about to do?”
Immediately following Best In Black Cville, the celebration continued at Mejicali for the Best In Black After Party, hosted by Dream Clothing.
Approximately 250 people kept the energy going, extending the evening beyond recognition into connection, celebration and continued economic activity.
Soul Of Cville Saturday at IX Art Park brought together Black-owned businesses, artists, performers, fashion, food, music, art and community.
Approximately 45 Black-owned businesses and Black-led organizations participated, along with 35 Black artists and creative performers. The fashion show drew approximately 180 attendees, while outdoor participation was estimated at roughly 2,000 people based on sustained foot traffic and event documentation.
It felt like everybody was there.
The aunties.
The babies.
The entrepreneurs.
The creatives.
The people who came “just to look around” and somehow left with three bags.
The people who knew everybody.
The people who became somebody’s new connection.
The people who came for the music and stayed for the culture.
That is Soul Of Cville.
Saturday was the big family reunion.You know the kind. The one where the music is already playing before you find a parking spot, somebody’s auntie is dressed like she has somewhere important to be after this, and the smell of fried fish and mile high pound cake is floating through the air, competing with the sounds of laughter, live music and somebody hollering across the crowd to get somebody else’s attention. There are hugs that last a little longer, children darting between grown folks, old classmates reconnecting, elders holding court, and at least three conversations happening at once. Somebody is taking pictures, somebody is making introductions, somebody is shopping, and somebody you haven’t seen in years is already asking why you haven’t called and everybody is (still) trying to learn Tamia’s line dance. It’s hot, it’s loud, it’s familiar, it’s a little chaotic in the most loving way, and everybody is welcome. That was the spirit of Soul Of Cville Saturday.
The Saturday fashion show was choreographed and coached by Avis Fields, with the runway becoming another expression of the Future Heirlooms theme.
Makeup for the models was provided by Dream Deluxe Beauty, adding another local creative to the production team.
The show also featured a special tribute connected to Eddie Harris and his creative work, with Rico helping carry that story forward.
And then came the music.
The runway moved through the generations through sound and models. The show featured the Miss Cville Juneteenth royalty, a multigenerational scene from Chic by Khalilah and of course Greedy American by Style University curated by designer Rico Harris.
Soul Of Cville Saturday’s headlining band was 100 Proof, bringing the live music energy that turned the festival from an event you attend into an event you experience.
Yes, we were there to support Black businesses.
Yes, we were there to celebrate community.
Yes, we were there to honor history.
But baby, we are here for a good time not a long time!
Joy was part of the programming.
Not a side dish.
Not an afterthought.
Part of the experience.
After Soul Of Cville Saturday wrapped at IX Art Park, the official Soul Of Cville After Party moved to Phoenix VA, presented by 101 Jamz.
The afterparty gave the community another opportunity to dance, connect and celebrate the week while continuing to support the local cultural and economic ecosystem.
Soul Of Cville closed with Soul Brunch a partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Monticello Foundation, connecting food, history and community highlighting the Feast of Reason, at Order Up! and Royalty Eats.
The brunch honored Edith Hern Fossett, an enslaved, French-trained chef whose culinary expertise helped shape the dining experience at Monticello and the President’s House in Washington, D.C. After returning to Monticello in 1809, she served as head cook, blending French culinary techniques with Virginia traditions. Her story is one of extraordinary skill, creativity and perseverance, but also a reminder of the countless contributions of enslaved Black people whose talents shaped American culture without receiving the recognition they deserved. Her son, Peter Fossett, would go on to become a prominent caterer in Cincinnati after gaining his freedom, carrying his family’s culinary knowledge into another generation.
Honoring Edith through food was a way of recognizing that the recipes, techniques, and traditions we enjoy today are often rooted in the brilliance and labor of people whose names history too often left out. And what better way to celebrate her than by gathering around a meal, sharing stories and making sure her name continues to be spoken?
And there was something deeply appropriate about ending the week around food.
Because Black history has always been passed down around tables.
Through recipes.
Through stories.
Through arguments about who makes the best macaroni and cheese.
Through somebody saying, “Don’t touch that yet, it’s for company.”
Through somebody’s grandmother refusing to measure anything because, “I just know.”
Food carries memory.
Food carries culture.
Food carries people.
And sometimes, food carries the entire family reunion.
None of this happens because one person has a really cute idea and a Canva subscription.
Trust me. I have tried. Like an embarrassing amount of times.
Soul Of Cville happens because community partners, sponsors, funders, businesses, artists, volunteers and supporters continue to believe that Black culture, creativity, entrepreneurship and joy deserve investment.
A very special thank-you goes to the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, Discover Black Cville and Virginia Humanities for their support.
Thank you to the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and UVA for investing in the work that allows us to keep programming accessible.
Thank you to United Way for supporting Best In Black Cville and helping us celebrate the people building Charlottesville’s Black community.
Thank you to Nothing Bundt Cakes for the generous and incredibly kind donation that helped us sweeten Best In Black Cville for our guests.
Thank you to the Eta Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, particularly through the Uplift Our Local Community and Building Our Economic Wealth committees, for continuing to invest in the community and in the economic well-being of the people who call Charlottesville home.
Thank you to Santanna, Greedy American by Style University, Runway Collective by Micah, Avis Fields and all of the amazingly fearless models for bringing the fashion shows to life.
Thank you to Blooming Diamonds, The Pie Guy, Jen Tal Band, Griffield Printing, No Shade 360, Dream Deluxe Beauty, Ahmad Hawkins, Jen Solomon,100 Proof, Dream Clothing, Kingdom LLc, Corine Ice, Brian and Ellie Dunne, 101 Jamz, Beyond Fitness with Sabrina, IX Art Park and the countless other creatives and businesses who helped us turn concepts into actual experiences.
Thank you to the vendors, performers, stylists, choreographers, coaches, venues, volunteers, partners and behind-the-scenes folks who handled approximately 4,782 things that nobody in the audience will ever know happened.
And thank you to Vinegar Hill Magazine for continuing to provide a platform for documenting, celebrating and amplifying Black life, culture and excellence in Charlottesville.
The relationship between Vinegar Hill Magazine, Best In Black Cville and Soul Of Cville is itself something worth building on.
We are creating something together that we hope people will still be talking about years from now.
And to the Charlottesville community, thank you for giving us so much to celebrate, so much to be proud of, and so many reasons to keep showing up. Soul Of Cville exists because of the people who make this community what it is: the entrepreneurs who take a chance on their dreams, the artists who tell our stories, the elders who preserve our history, the young people who are already shaping our future, and the countless individuals who pour their time, talent and resources into making Charlottesville a place we can all be proud to call home. You have given us the inspiration, the purpose and the reason to create a platform where Black culture, creativity, excellence and joy can be seen, celebrated and experienced. Soul Of Cville is a reflection of you, and we are grateful to have the honor and esteemed privilege of celebrating what makes this community so special.
Now, here’s something we’re doing differently this year.
We want you in the planning conversation for Soul Of Cville 2027.
What should next year’s theme be?
What event do you want to see come back?
What have we never done that you think would be perfect for Soul Of Cville?
What conversation needs to happen?
What activity would make you grab your mama, your cousin, your best friend, your kids, your auntie and that one friend who takes 45 minutes to get dressed and say:
“Come on. We going.”
Send your ideas, suggestions and dreams for Soul Of Cville 2027 to: [email protected]
Future Heirlooms wasn’t about sitting around waiting for the future to tell us what mattered.
It was about recognizing that we are already making history while we’re living it.
Every business we build.
Every child we encourage.
Every story we preserve.
Every song we teach.
Every photograph we take.
Every elder we listen to.
Every young person we pour into.
Every Black-owned business we support.
Every space we create where our people can gather, laugh, dance, learn, spend money, dream and simply be.
That is the inheritance.
That is the work.
That is the joy.
And that is the responsibility.
We are the ancestors.
So let’s leave something beautiful behind.
And preferably something our descendants will brag about.
Because baby…we have an heirloom to make.
If you want to find your black carpet or 360 photo from the week or weren’t able to make Soul of Cville 2026, please visit the Soul of Cville facebook page to catch up. And please, for the love of all things Black Cville…don’t get caught slipping next year! See you there!
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