Rock Castle Group St.Emma - St.Francis Alumni
News
The National Museum of African American History
The latest update to ongoing activities with the African American Museum has acquired and cataloged all donated memorabilia. We are now in the process of interviews being conducted by the museum. Once the interview process is completed, we will be informed of the next steps of this journey. We will continue with information on this website of the progress.
Latest News
11/26/2025.
Donation to Smithsonian NMAAHC
Dear Mr. Walker,
On behalf of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture. I would like to thank you for your very generous gift of the material related to St. Francis de Sales and St. Emma Military Academy and your time there. The museum is so pleased to include this collection of the school's objects in its History collection and for use in its research and exhibitions. Your donation was approved by the Museum's Collections Committee on November 19, 2025.
Attached, please find the Deed of Gift. Please sign and return the document to me via e-mail. Our director will countersign and return one copy to you for your records. Please also be sure to indicate, on the deed, how you would like to be acknowledged when the donation is displayed or published. If that portion of the deed is left blank, we will credit the donation as Gift of Robert A. Walker, Jr.
Title/ownership transfer is critical at this point so we may transfer title and catalog the acquisition. The Smithsonian Institution has not provided any goods or services to you in return for your gift. Please keep a copy of this letter for your tax records. Thank you again for your generosity and support of the Smithsonian.
Sincerely,
NMAAHC
Current Events
Campus Tours to Resume Starting Spring 2026
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Dear Alumni Family,
As was mentioned at our last meeting, Bob and I have been asked to be on the Saint John Neumann Foundation Board to represent St. Emma Military Academy and St. Francis de Sales High School. This, organization is based at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Richmond, VA - Richmond's oldest African American Catholic Church parish.
The Mission of SJNF is to honor, preserve, and promote the Black Catholic experience in the Diocese of Richmond.
The Vision - started with Deacon Charles Williams. He envisioned a day when the Diocese of Richmond would fully remember and honor its Black Catholics who remained faithful even while struggling for their place in the Church. Before his passing in 2022, that vision sharpened into a concrete goal: a permanent museum dedicated to the Black Catholic experience, located on the grounds of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He also gave the effort its name: the Saint John Neumann Foundation.
We will be donating our signature pictures and other artifacts to the museum as has many of the closed Black Catholic Churches and schools in Virginia. The plan is to have the museum to travel to different parts of Virginia the Cathedral of Richmond, and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk are just two right now.
The SJNF will host its first annual gala Saturday, November 14, 2026, 6-10 p.m. at the Living and Learning Center, Virginia Union University, 1813 Bath St. Richmond, VA 23220.
6-7 pm cocktail reception + silent auction opens, followed by Dinner and keynote address- by His Eminence, Wilton Cardinal Gregory Entree choice (selected at ticket purchase) beef medallions salmon vegetarian Penne Pasta Black Catholic Heritage Awards
Raffle Drawings
Dancing with DJ Bigge E
Tickets visit tinyurl.com/sinfgala Prefer to mail a check? Sene to SJNF c/o Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 3300 R St. Richmond, VA 23223-6831 1
$85 per person through Sept. 15 after Sept. 15: $100 per person
NO CHARGE for priests and religious sisters
Past Events
BELMEAD HISTORICAL TOUR
FALL OF 2023
The following pictures were taken during a tour of St. Emma and St. Francis campuses. Historian John Plashal conducted the event with the help of Fred Schneider and Jennifer Saunders. The alumni participating in the presentation are listed, accompanied by various pictures.
The purpose of the tours is to inform people of the significance of the two schools. Additionally, provide attendees with a historical account of the Belmead properties—the alumni help by giving personal accounts and experiences of their time at the schools. You can check our Events tab on this website for upcoming tours as they are scheduled starting in the spring of 2026.
Bob Walker '65, Roscoe Bryant '65, Ed Smith '66
Faye Campbell '57, Carolyn Lambert '59 and sons
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John Plashal (Historian),
Melviana Herbert '66, Donna '62,
Plater Campbell '46,
Jennifer Saunders and 3 guests
Bob Walker '65, Roscoe Bryant '65, Ed Smith '66
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Jennifer Saunders,
Eugene Butler '68 (back),
Stafford Toliver '47, Bob Walker '65
Melvina Herbert '66, Paula Payton(guest),
Carolyn Lambert '59
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Roscoe Bryant '65, Ed Smith '66,
Eugene Butler '68, Bob Walker '65
2024 All Class Reunion
There was a major gathering of alumni from both St. Emma and St. Francis back at the Rock. It was an event-filled four days for all. Thursday started with registrations and getting acquainted. Friday, alumni enjoyed visiting the Richmond Black History Museum in the morning and a Dinner/Dance in the evening. Saturday, the Historical marker celebrating the history of Belmead was unveiled on Route 60 and Bell Road for all to view, then and for years to come. After the unveiling, we journeyed to the campus for a cookout and festivities. On Sunday, the final event was the alumni meeting.
Myrtle Ballard and Chris Gleason Davis, 1970
Joseph Collett , 1961
Class of 1961
Warren Duncan
(Deidre's husband) '67
Pat Reynolds '70(left)
Merle Gorum '70(right)
Richard Greene standing
Delores Battle Mosby '66
and husband
Roscoe Bryant '65 and
wife Jennifer
Terica Starkey Saunders '57
Merle Gorum '70 (standing)
Fred Schneider(far left),
John Plashal(middle),
Jennifer Saunders
Melvina Herbert '66,
Deidra Duncan '67,
Pat Reynolds '70,
Gretta Gore '70
Pat Reynolds '70 (middle)
Cynthia Rogers Holland '68
(right)
Melvina Herbert '66,
Deidra Duncan '67,
Pat Reynolds '70,
Gretta Gore '70
Chris Gleason '70 (left)
Gretta Gore '70 (right)
2025
Class Reunion
of
1973 & 1974
In April 2024, initiated by brother Mel Burgess (1973), our classmates gathered in Easton, PA to visit with brother Guy Steward (1973) who had been stricken with terminal cancer. We spent the weekend celebrating Guy and reminiscing about our time at the “Rock.” We were sophomores and juniors at the time of the school’s closing in the spring of 1972, and all of us lamented the closing and the opportunity to kick some butt and provide leadership as senior officers had SEMA remained open. Consequently, under the coordination leadership of brother Bill Delaney (1973), we decided to keep our memories alive and renew our brotherhood on an annual basis. Unfortunately, brother Guy was rapidly transitioning, so we gathered a few months later in August 2024. He transitioned a few days before we gathered, but brother Guy and his family opened their home to us where we again celebrated him and spent the weekend eating, drinking and reminiscing in his backyard.
As you will see from the remaining photos, our most recent gathering in September 2025 included SEMA graduates from earlier years. We gathered in Richmond, Va., and spent most of a day on the campus at the Rock, taking photos, touring the campus, and listening to a historical presentation about St. Emma and St. Francis by local historian/photographer John Plashal. We also visited the Drexel-Morrell Center adjacent to campus, talking to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and reviewing historical documents.
