by Lee Pierre
RICHMOND, VA – Roy Mitchell Jr., a quilter who grew up in Roanoke, participated in a ceremony this month in Richmond, VA, to honor the 80th anniversary of the first Black police officers of the capital city.
The ceremony, “Recognition and Remembrance,” was presented by Engine Company No. 9 and Associates Inc., the City of Richmond Police Department, Richmond Black Police Officers Association and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. The event, honoring “80 years of service and 80 years of legacy,” was on May 9 at the Main Street Station in Richmond with active and retired employees of the Richmond Police Department and the Richmond Fire and Emergency Service (Engine Company No. 9) in attendance.
The first four Black officers, Howard T. Braxton, Doctor P. Day, Frank S. Randolph, and John W. Van, were hired May 1, 1946. Ruth B. Blair, the first Black female police officer, was hired December 15, 1949. The officers went through a stringent pre-hiring process as well as having to adhere to rules and regulations different from the white officers. Many of the regular duties of being a policeman were not granted to the Black officers. For instance, they could not arrest or detain a white individual accused of committing a crime even if the committed crime was observed by them. They were only allowed to work evening and night shifts and could only police the Black neighborhoods, according to a congratulatory statement written by retired firefighter, Thomas L. Williams Sr.
During the ceremony the families of the late officers were recognized and presented with memorial tokens of appreciation on behalf of their loved one. Attendees were given a coin with the faces of the five officers on one side and the Main Street Station on the other side.
For his part in the celebration, Mitchell had been commissioned to create a quilt depicting the five officers. The result is a visual story that includes each officer’s birth certificate, job application, the questions they were asked during the interview, and information about them before joining the police department. The middle of the quilt featured the five together with the Main Street Station in the background.
Describing the meticulous nature of his work, Mitchell said, “Photos must be transferred over to fabric. That is a process. It is not like putting something through a machine. It is a long process, and it must be accurate.”
The 9-foot by 9-foot quilt took three and a half months to complete. He worked on it while teaching his class the process of creating a complex quilt.
Quilting is not something new to Mitchell. He learned the art of quilting at classes at the Stafford Gift Shop. Mitchell was not just the only man; he was the only African American as well. He established the First Quilting Class with Virginia Department Juvenile Justice Yvonne B. Miller High School on the campus of the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center. When he first suggested the idea, he was told that ‘the thugs’ wouldn’t want to learn anything. He held fast to his dream, and not only has the class been a success, but he says he has never had a behavior issue in class. He has a sign at the door that states: “Believe that you’re somebody! It is not what you did, it is what you want to do and it’s not where you’ve been, it is where you’re going. Leave someone outside of the classroom and somebody inside because it’s someone who did the crime to get in prison; it takes that somebody who has been changed and reformed to walk out of here.” The boys not only learn quilting, but they are also learning how to do upholstery and draperies. They are acquiring skills they can use in the outside world.
The Rudolph and Esther Bunzl Foundation (R.E.B. Foundation) in partnership with the Community Foundation in Richmond presented the “Award for Teaching Excellence 2020” to Mitchell for his professional development and classroom enrichment at the detention facility.
Mitchell was also commissioned by Livingstone College in 2025 to create a quilt featuring all the previous presidents of the college before current president, the Dr. Rev. Anthony J. Davis Jr., was hired to lead the private, historically Black college in Salisbury, North Carolina.
“I had have never made a quilt commemorating, never one pertaining to portraits,” Mitchell said. The quilt was presented to the college on Founder’s Day.
Creating the 80th anniversary quilt was his second effort of that type. His exquisite work did not go unnoticed. Richmond Chief of Police, Rick Edwards, presented Mitchell with an “In recognition of Excellence” trophy commending him for his diligence and perseverance in his work at the juvenile detention center.
Mitchell is well supported in his work. His father, Roy Mitchell Sr.; son Trey Mitchell; and several relatives, co-workers, and close friends all traveled to Richmond for the presentation.
Mitchell plans to return to his hometown to gather information for a quilt commemorating the Gainsboro and “the Yard” neighborhoods. Mitchell is familiar with Roanoke having attended Melrose Elementary and Monroe Junior High. He graduated from William Fleming High School and furthered his education at Livingstone College graduating in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in political science/history.
