Photo source: The American Civil War Museum
Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum, is overseeing construction of a $25 million new facility, and she’s co-chairing the Monument Avenue Commission, tasked with advising Richmond on the future of its Civil War memorials. She lives in Chesterfield County with her husband, Art Espey, and two children, ages 11 and 15. Does she feel like she’s in the hot seat, given the intense debate over Confederate statues? No, she says, “but I’m keenly aware of the space I’m occupying, and I’m trying my best to be as thoughtful as I can without taking myself too seriously.”
What I love about Richmond is its eclectic nature. There’s so much packed in these few square miles.
One thing that drives me crazy about Richmond: It can also be a little provincial.
The best thing to come out of the debate about monuments would be: The real problem isn’t necessarily the symbols; it’s what underlies them. Maybe in the course of these discussions, we’ll be able to really get to those things.
The biggest challenge I faced when I arrived for this job was that my mere presence was an enigma. Women are rare in Civil War history, and black women are virtually nonexistent, especially in leadership roles. People didn’t know quite what to think.
A sign of progress that encourages me is the mere fact that we were able to successfully launch and execute the collaborative that became The Future of Richmond’s Past, to commemorate the Civil War and emancipation. [To gain support,] we had to broaden the understanding and the narrative of it. That was probably the defining moment that, yes, we can do this.
If you’re having me over for dinner, I just want good food, good company and a lot of laughs. A nice bourbon would be great.
I never get tired of listening to Prince.
My biggest pet peeve is closed-mindedness.
Something people should know about me: At my heart, I’m a creative soul and a storyteller.
The book I’m reading now: I just finished reading “Disasters in Dating” by Danielle Allen, a local writer.
I can’t live without family. I have 63 first cousins. So family, for me, is a big thing.
If I had the chance, I would like to meet Octavia Butler, an African-American [author]. She's part of the reason I fell in love with science fiction.
When I was growing up, I thought I would be a lawyer.
The worst job I ever had was in my early 20s, I signed on with this stock brokerage firm and worked there for about six months in Baltimore, doing cold calls for brokers and studying for my licensing exams. It was just dreadful, and I hated every minute.
One thing I wish I could change about myself is I would have listened to my parents and got braces.
When all else fails, I find a very quiet space, usually by water, take off my shoes and sit down and get as quiet as I can so I can hear what I need to hear.
