About

The Newsome House Museum and Cultural Center is the restored 1899 residence of prominent African-American attorney J. Thomas Newsome and his wife Mary Winfield Newsome. At the turn of the 20th century, Mr. Newsome moved his family to Newport News, Virginia, where he prospered as part of the postwar South's new urban, African-American middle class.

Active in civic affairs, Mr. Newsome advocated for education, voter registration, and community improvement. His elegant Queen Anne residence served as the hub of the local African-American community and the base from which he led the fight for social justice in the Commonwealth.

Today, the restored Victorian landmark remains a historic fixture in the City, serving not only as a museum to Newsome's accomplishments, but as a venue for exhibitions, special events, and community functions. It was the first structure owned by an African-American to receive a National Historic Preservation Award.