New Farmer Hall Displays Bring a Legacy to Life
Visitors to James Farmer Hall can now learn more about the civil rights leader and longtime Mary Washington professor for whom the building is named through two new displays highlighting different facets of his life and legacy. The first-floor exhibits grew from an effort led by James Farmer Multicultural Director Marion Sanford, who began exploring ways to share Farmer’s story within the building after it was renamed in his honor in 2021.
“It was important to us that people who enter Farmer Hall have an opportunity to learn about the man for whom the building is named — both his extraordinary contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and his connection to Mary Washington,” Sanford said. “We hope these displays inspire people to learn more about Dr. Farmer, his life and his enduring contributions to American society.”
The displays tell that story through two distinct lenses.
The first, “Dr. James Farmer: A Catalyst and Leader for the Civil Rights Movement,” explores Farmer’s role as a co-founder of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), his leadership of the 1961 Freedom Rides and his place among the nation’s prominent civil rights leaders. Photos, books and artifacts are joined by replicas of historic markers honoring Farmer and recognizing Fredericksburg as the first stop on the Freedom Rides.
A second display, “Dr. James Framer: A Civil Rights Legacy at Mary Washington,” brings that history closer to home. Farmer taught at Mary Washington from 1985 to 1998, and the exhibit includes classroom photographs, the academic hood he wore when he received an honorary doctorate from the University and memorabilia from UMW’s 2011 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides. It also highlights the campus spaces and programs that continue to carry his name.
Sanford worked with a faculty group whose varied areas of expertise helped shape and curate the displays, including Professor and Director of the Physics Program Matt Fleenor, Professor of Mathematics Suzanne Sumner, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Historic Preservation Cristina Turdean, and Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Zach Whalen.
The group deliberately selected materials that would show multiple dimensions of Farmer’s life, not only the civil rights activist, but also the educator, family man and 1998 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The displays are intended to help students, faculty, staff and visitors understand both Farmer’s national significance and his connection to Mary Washington.
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