A Building On The Campus Of Virginia State University Has Been Designated As A National Historic Landmark
Azurest South has earned the nation's highest federal recognition for historical, architectural, and archeological significance.
Virginia State University is proud to announce that Azurest South, also known as the Alumni House, has been designated as one of the country's newest National Historic Landmarks (NHLs). Azurest South was among 19 new NHL designations announced by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.
An NHL designation is the highest federal recognition of a property's historical, architectural, or archeological significance.
"This is a proud moment for Virginia State University and one of its most cherished landmarks," said Franklin Johnson-Norwood, VSU's Executive Director of Alumni Engagement and Advancement Services. "This designation underscores Azurest South's enduring significance in American architectural history."
Built in 1939 by VSU alumna Amaza Lee Meredith, Azurest South was considered one of the most advanced residential designs of its time. Meredith, one of the first documented female African American architects, also established VSU's Fine Arts Department. She lived in the home with her partner, Dr. Edna Meade Colson, until Meredith's passing in 1984.
Today, the building remains one of Virginia's few examples of International Style architecture. In 1986, Azurest South became the official Alumni House, fulfilling Meredith's longtime dream of having an Alumni House on the VSU campus.
Now, with its recent NHL designation, Azurest South has been recognized for its exceptional value in illustrating the history and culture of the United States.
"As America's storyteller, it is our privilege at the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to tell our nation's history and honor the many historical chapters and heroic communities that brought us to where we all are today," Haaland said in a news release. "These newly designated historic landmarks join a list of the nation's premier historic and cultural places, all of which were nominated through voluntary and locally led stewardship."
The new NHLs were recognized for their nationally significant properties for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Americans, African Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders, and women's history, in addition to moments important in the development of American technology, landscape design, and art.
In 2024, the University received $150,000 to support the conservation of Azurest South. The grant was awarded through the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a competitive program that provides funding to preserve and protect African American historic sites and cultural landmarks. This funding will ensure Azurest South stands for many years to come.