TRHT Summer Youth Workshop

Early History of African Americans in the Valley

African Americans were present in the Shenandoah Valley since its earliest explorations and settlements. In great part, African American blood, sweat and tears helped to found these early communities. Within the city of Harrisonburg, Virginia, enslaved peoples of African descent were present since the city’s establishment, as evidenced by research surrounding its oldest structures still standing downtown (c. 1790) and census records up through c. 1860, including that documenting the household of Harrisonburg’s first mayor. After the Civil War, a new settlement at the northeast limit of the city was built by, and for, African Americans: Newtown.

Klines | Urban Renewal

The painting was created to show that people were forced to leave their homes.

The effects that city governmental policies of urban renewal had on the former Newtown community of Harrisonburg in the 1960's and 1970's cannot be overstated. Urban renewal resulted in the destruction of dozens of African American-owned homes and businesses, and the displacement of over 100 Black families from the area. Along with gutting the economic and financial base of the Black community, urban renewal also caused an untold amount of physical and psychological trauma for African American residents in the city. The Black community of Harrisonburg has never fully recovered, as these historical harms were and are compounded by the continued construction and development of white-owned businesses and residences on the very ground that was unceremoniously taken away from the former African American owners. After urban renewal, and due to racially discriminatory redlining practices, African Americans were often unable to secure appropriate housing in other parts of Harrisonburg. Because of the scarcity of affordable housing options, the lack of fair business opportunities, and discriminatory practices in job hiring, more and more African Americans began to leave the Shenandoah Valley.

Faith Evans-Haywood.jpg — Faith Evans-Haywood (17)

North Star | Historic Dallard-Newman House

This piece is a painting of the Dallard-Newman house floating in isolation towards the North Star. I chose the Dallard-Newman house because it’s in the city that I grew up but I didn’t know anything about it’s significance. I used warm colors on the house and cool colors in the back to show the contrast in Harrisonburg and the fight to mix together. The house panels are made out of hands to represent all of the hands of the builders coming together to build their community.

Constructed c. 1895 on Dallard-owned land at 192 Kelley Street, the Historic Dallard-Newman House is one of the city’s oldest and most enduring monuments to African American culture and heritage. Built by formerly enslaved African Americans, the home presents a fascinating record of urban life in this community. Its history begins with efforts at economic recovery in the post-Civil War era (1865-1877), the founding of the first educational institutions for persons of color, the development of the thriving community of Newtown around the house, and the near hundred and fifty years that followed, up until today.

New Immigrants

New immigrants of color from around the world and from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds are now settling in Harrisonburg and the Shenandoah Valley. These immigrants are sharing stories of the xenophobia and racism they face as newcomers to our America.

We Want to Swim Too | Harris Swimming Pool

After the opening of Westover, a pool that was easily accessible to African Americans was closed. Westover was way across town away from the neighborhoods that were primarily African American. This is one of many situations where these people were excluded from normal activities that others had at their fingertips.

Harris Swimming Pool was built in 1957 in the Northeast Neighborhood of Harrisonburg, VA. The pool provided a place for neighborhood children and families to swim and joyfully interact as a community. The pool was closed and filled with concrete in the 1980s. While Harrisonburg’s Westover pool was available across town, the loss of the Harris pool was greatly felt by Northeast residents since many were no longer able to safely access a pool within easy walking distance.

You 2 | Roberta, Peggy and Ada Webb

In 1945, Roberta Webb's eldest daughter, Peggy Webb, applied to Eastern Mennonite University . She was denied admittance solely because she was black. My dad works at EMU, and my family is Mennonite, so this injustice stuck with me. In my painting, I tried to show Roberta Webb's daughter trapped by prison-bar like "U" for university. Even as it traps her, she pushes it off, freeing herself. The "2" is inclusive. U,2. You, too. This isn't just Peggy Webb's story. This is part of your story as well.

In 1943 Roberta Webb became the first African American Mennonite in Harrisonburg. In 1945 Webb’s daughter, Margaret Peggy Webb, applied to Eastern Mennonite University/EMU and was denied admission due to her race. In 1947, Roberta Webb’s other daughter, Ada Webb, applied to EMU and was also denied admission due to her race. Ada Webb attended night classes in Chicago at Roosevelt College. In 1952 Margaret Peggy Webb Howard was invited to attend EMU, where she graduated with a B.A. degree in Music, Social Science and Secondary Education.

Sophie Hinderliter.jpg — Sophie hinder-liter (14)

Lucy F. Simms

Lucy F. Simms was one of the most influential leaders in African American education in Harrisonburg, as well as in the neighboring Rockingham County. Simms was born into slavery c. 1856, owned by the Gray family. The same Harrisonburg family had purchased Simm’s grandmother from a cousin of Abraham Lincoln. It is believed that Lucy Simms was born on the Hilltop Plantation, where Simms Park is located today; alternative evidence suggests that Simms may have been born in Roanoke, VA.

Following Simm’s teacher education at the Hampton Institute, she returned to Harrisonburg to teach African Americans in her own community. Simm’s commitment to furthering the education of her pupils was commemorated in the 1939 naming of Harrisonburg’s local school for African Americans in her honor, today the Lucy F. Simms Center.