MIKHAIL GORBACHEV April 10-11, 1993 As the University of Richmond’s Robins Center lights shone down on Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet President somehow found himself more lauded by Western listeners than the people he once led. Gorbachev’s Easter Sunday visit to the University was part of his larger tour of Virginia colleges, commemorating Thomas Jefferson’s 250th birthday. Freedom, democracy, and leadership remained the focus of … Continue reading MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

RONALD REAGAN March 28, 1988 If you look closely at this photo of President Ronald Reagan you can spot several packages of Reynolds Wrap just above his head. In his quick three-hour visit to Richmond in 1988, President Reagan touched down at the Reynolds Metal headquarters to address a crowd of over 400 Reynolds employees. As Reagan toured the facilities and commended the company for … Continue reading RONALD REAGAN

JULIA CHILD October 20-21, 1976 Julia Child, seen here posing in her Richmond hotel room, was known for bringing various cooking utensils on her tours, as she found that the hotels and demonstration sites were often not equipped with the tools she needed. The self-made star who brought “high-end” French cuisine into the kitchen of the modern American family, Child was the first woman inducted … Continue reading JULIA CHILD

STOKELY CARMICHAEL [KWAME TURE] March 14, 1971 Carmichael, a Trinidadian-American revolutionary credited for coining the term “Black Power,” flashed a brilliant smile as he posed with two local detectives at Byrd Airport. Carmichael’s message transformed throughout his years in the Civil Rights Movement from nonviolence to militant self-defense. Ultimately, Carmichael changed his name to Kwame Ture and joined the Pan Africanist, All African People’s Revolutionary … Continue reading STOKELY CARMICHAEL [KWAME TURE]

SALVADOR DALÍ April 1966 Salvador Dalí never set foot in Richmond in April 1966, but Richmonders still felt his eccentric presence. Dalí sent his “military advisor,” Captain Peter Moore, along with his pet ocelot to present a proposal for a new statue on Monument Avenue. The statue, designed to honor Captain Sally Tompkins, the first American woman to serve as an Army officer during the … Continue reading SALVADOR DALÍ