Virginia Christian was born on August 15, 1895, in Hampton City, Virginia. She grew up in a time when life was often difficult for African Americans in the United States. Virginia's family included her mother, Charlotte Christian, who had health issues.

Virginia Christian was involved in a violent incident that led to the death of her employer, Ida Belote, on March 18, 1912. During an argument, Belote accused Christian of stealing and struck her with a spittoon. In response, the two women grabbed broom handles for confrontation. Christian hit Belote on the forehead with one of the handles. To silence Belote's screaming, Christian stuffed a towel into her mouth and throat. Belote died from suffocation.

After the event, Christian took some money and a ring from Belote’s purse. When the police found Belote’s body, it was face down in a pool of blood, and the towel was stuffed in her mouth.

Christian was quickly arrested. During questioning, she admitted to hitting Belote but claimed she never meant to kill her. Despite her defense, the court tried and convicted her of murder. The judge sentenced her to death by electrocution.

On August 16, 1912, just one day after her 17th birthday, Christian was executed at the state penitentiary in Richmond, Virginia. She calmly accepted her fate, stating she was prepared to answer for her actions. After the execution, her body was turned over to the state medical school because her parents could not afford to transport it.