2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4
Celebrating the life of William J. Martin.
Agreed to by the Senate, January 22, 2026
WHEREAS, William J. Martin, a passionate historian who helped countless individuals engage with the Commonwealth's past through his visionary leadership as the longtime director of the Valentine, an esteemed private museum in Richmond, died on December 28, 2025; and
WHEREAS, William "Bill" Martin grew up in the Brandy Station community of Culpeper County and began to cultivate a love of history and storytelling from a young age; he spent much of his youth searching for Civil War artifacts in the area and made frequent trips to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., with his family; and
WHEREAS, after receiving a bachelor's degree in urban studies and a master's degree in public administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bill Martin moved to Georgia to oversee the Okefenokee Heritage Center, then worked for a museum in Jacksonville, Florida; and
WHEREAS, in 1986, Bill Martin returned to the Commonwealth, where he led efforts to revitalize Petersburg through Petersburg Main Street and Petersburg Downtown, Inc., and later became the city's director of tourism; and
WHEREAS, Bill Martin subsequently joined the Valentine as director of marketing and public affairs in 1994; after being named director in 1995, he worked with the board to stabilize the museum's finances and operations following the closure of Valentine Riverside at Tredegar Iron Works, an unsuccessful expansion; and
WHEREAS, under Bill Martin's leadership, the Valentine launched major renovations and redeveloped programming to elevate untold stories and foster public dialogue; his strategies helped the museum fulfill its mission to collect, preserve, and interpret the city's history, while also growing into a dynamic community resource; and