The mission of the John Marshall House is to engage the public about the life and legacies of the Great Chief Justice, his Richmond home, and the enslaved people who labored here through historic preservation and education.

Check out our guided and virtual tour opportunities!

John Marshall is best known as the “Great Chief Justice” for his role in creating the modern Supreme Court. He served from 1801 until 1835 and his influential decisions, such as Marbury v. Madison, helped shape the principle of judicial review. With the largest collection of original Marshall family pieces, guided tours of his home offer an in-depth look at the formation of American government through the lens of the federal judiciary.

Marshall had his home built in Richmond’s historic Court End neighborhood in 1790 and lived there for forty-five years until his death.

The home remained in the Marshall family until the Chief Justice’s granddaughters sold the land to the City of Richmond in 1907. When the City announced plans to demolish the house to build a high school, the leadership of Preservation Virginia protested. In 1911, the house was placed in the care of Preservation Virginia to be restored and opened to the public.

African American History at the John Marshall House

The Black history connected to the John Marshall House is incredibly rich. It is filled with stories of the families that were built under enslavement, and endured in Richmond’s urban landscape. People like Robin Spurlock, enslaved valet to John Marshall saw the city grow to host the second largest domestic slave market in the country. He witnessed the development of Gabriel’s uprising, and the formation of the American judiciary while he and his wife raised their own three children in slavery.

We are fortunate to have substantial records, first-hand accounts and primary sources that provide glimpses into the lives of the individual enslaved by John Marshall. Though we have only begun to study the history of the Black presence here, we aim to continue to research and build strong relationships with descendants, collect oral histories, and present the individual stories that truly highlight the African American experience here. Moving forward, we hope to continue to be able to provide a detailed context for how these people lived and how they viewed their lives at the Marshall House.

For more in-depth information, and primary source material please email us at johnmarshallhouse@preservationvirginia.org.