Move over, Wonder Woman. Virginia has a new superhero in town—and her name is Eliza Bannister Walker. Born in 1874, Walker became a talented performer, singing in the “Charity Nightingales” group. Her skills weren’t limited to just her beautiful voice, though—she was also an impactful poet. She used her writing abilities on select occasions to raise money for causes close to her heart. One such project was an “old folks home” and orphanage in Lexington. Asking for a minimum donation of 25 cents per copy, according to the Rockbridge Historical Society, Walker sold original compositions to benefit the project. She also advocated for strides in education for the area’s Black students. In 1932, she signed a letter asking the Lexington School Board for a high school teacher at the Lylburn Downing School (which opened in 1927 to educate Black children). In the letter, Walker and three other signers noted that the parents would pay the additional teacher a salary of $55. According to a hist...