Belmead is an historic plantation in Virginia. The plantation’s main residence, a two-story Gothic revival style structure, was built about 1845. In 1860, 124 enslaved people toiled on the plantation and over 130 were buried on the plantation between 1835 and 1865. After the Civil War the plantation was deserted and in 1895 was purchased by Katherine Drexel, the heiress to a fortune made by her father, Francis Drexel, in the banking industry. In 1891 Katherine had taken vows as a nun and later founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament order. The order she established had a specific purpose: to work with Native American and Black populations. The new owners of Belmead established the St. Francis de Sales School dedicated to the education of Black and Native American girls. A residential campus was soon populated by students who were held to high standard academic and vocational education standards. Between its establishment in 1896 and its closure in 1970, over 5,000 young women were educated at St. Francis de Sales. In 1899 a second school was established on the grounds, the St. Emma Military Academy. This was a high school military academy exclusively for Black male students who lived on the school grounds. Like St Francis de Sales, St. Emma had high academic and rigorous physical fitness standards for the students. The school became known for turning misdirected and confused young teens around and enhancing the talents of gifted students. Students reported that upon graduation cadets had earned a valued diploma as well as pride and self-confidence. During the years of its existence, 1899-1972, St. Emma Military Academy graduated over 10,000 young black men. Students came from all parts of the United States, the Caribbean and Africa to attend the academy.