Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
A state historical marker will be dedicated that highlights the one-time location in Richmond of the Central Lunatic Asylum, the first standalone hospital for African Americans suffering from mental disorders or ill health in the United States. The state later relocated the facility to Dinwiddie County and renamed it Central State Hospital in the late 1800s.
Officials of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Central State Hospital, the sponsor of the marker, will dedicate the sign at an unveiling ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the marker’s location at the corner of 20th and Fairmount Streets in Richmond. The ceremony is open to the public.
