Always Young, Young Always
by Brianna Madden-Olivares
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Former SVBHP Brianna Madden-Olivares wrote a poem she performed at Lewis Mountain Campground, a segregated are of the Shenandoah National Park for African American visitors. Brianna speaks to the joy and warmth of times spent there. Inspired by a conversation with Elaine Blakey, Brianna paints a beautiful picture of times gone by.
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Billo Harper Legacy of Lucy F. Simms School
In 2012, Billo Harper produce a 3 part documentary series on the Lucy F. Simms School. The school was the segregated black school in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harper compiled photos and interviews of former students a residents to the tell an important part of local history. Thank you Billo Harper for your wonderful work.
Celebrating Bethany Veney with her Descendants
In a 4 part series, Aunt Betty's Story, the Narrative of a Slave Woman was read aloud by the descendants of Bethany Veney who was enslaved in Page County Virginia. Veney's work is one of the few slave narratives from the Shenandoah Valley.
Frederick Douglass Remembers Ireland
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For our 2021 Black History Month program, SVBHP invited Nathan Richardson to perform his piece Fredrick Douglass Remembers Ireland. Richardson is now in his 7th year of The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour, which is a living history performance in which he captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of the former slave, writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Stay up to date with Nathan Richardson by email. |
DeLois Warr on the Mt. Jackson Colored Cemetery
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Recorded by Robin Lyttle
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Mount Jackson resident DeLois Warr shares her knowledge on history of the Mount Jackson Colored Cemetery passed down from her father. Warr is an active member of the community seeking to preserve the cemetery and uncover the stories of those buried. Warr was interviewed by Martha Woodroof on WMRA's The Spark where is goes into further details on the cemetery and the work being done to maintain its history there.
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Harrisonburg Oral Histories (2014)
James Madison University
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As part of course on Oral History taught by Prof. Evan Friss in Spring 2014, each James Madison University undergraduate student interviewed a community member who lived through the process of urban renewal in Harrisonburg in the early 1960s.
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Long's Chapel
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This video tells the history of Long's Chapel and the African American community Zenda located in Rockingham County, north of Harrisonburg. Recored by Robin Lyttle and Narrated by Michael Demick.
Musical performance by Rev. Harrold Brown at Long's Chapel.
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Meet the Cousins: Deryl and Peter Wingate
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This is the recorded zoom video of our program "Meet the Cousins: Deryl and Peter Wingate" on November 19, 2021. Deryl Wingate shares his story about his life and his cousin Peter Wingate.
Unfortunately we missed the first minute of introductions and the very first of Deryl's story about his family history, which was his family had Native American roots. Our apologies. |
Not Made For This
by Brianna Madden-Olivares
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This play was created by our former intern Brianna Madden-Olivares and is based on the Jourden Banks' narrative. Jourden was enslaved on the Charles Yancey plantation in Elkton, Virginia. Much of this video was taped on the plantation where Jourden's family were enslaved.
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Saving the Valley's Black Heritage
Luanne Austen interviewed Robin Lyttle and Sharon Barber of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project on May 13, 2015 to discuss SVBHP mission and the work being done to to document the valley's African American history and culture.
"Through The Years"
by Terry Howard
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This is the recorded zoom call of our program "Through The Years" by Terry Howard of Staunton, Virginia. Terry discusses about his book about Black Athletes and Sports in Augusta County.
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A Visit With Darnell Vickers
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Note: The audio file takes a few minutes to load.
Timmie Darnell Vickers (1925 - 2004)This audio file is of a conversation recorded in the Avante Nursing Home in Waynesboro, VA on May 28, 2002. The conThe friends that were visiting Mr. Mr. Timmie DarnellVickers were Lowell and Ruth Toliver and Charles and Betty Mae Frakes. They talk of old friends and riding horses through what is now the northeast neighborhood of Harrisonburg. Mr. Vickers also talks about his service in the Navy, taking young men to New York City for the first time and his raising pidgins as a boy.
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The Voice of Mary Awkard Fairfax
Mary Awkward-Fairfax interviewed by Cheryl Metz, 2005. Massanutten Regional Library.
Mary Frances Awkard-Fairfax was an educator in Harrisonburg, Virginia public schools for over forty years. In 2005, Cheryl Metz of the Massanutten Regional Library interviewed Mary Awkard-Fairfax when she was 93. The interviewed gives an insight into Lucy F. Simms School, Newtown and her incredible life that started on April 2, 1912.