Program Information

Session Details

Session 3: "Up from Slavery": The Remarkable History of Black West Virginians, by Dr. Cicero Fain III, Marshall University -- Currently, no unified vision exists and, consequently little effort has been made, to capitalize on the State’s African American history as a key economic sector in the State’s cultural tourism industry. Thus, no venue exists within the state that recognizes, chronicles, and celebrates the remarkable history, stories, experiences, and contributions of Black West Virginians and Appalachians to the nation and globe. Targeted for groundbreaking in 2026, corresponding to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Black History Month and the 250th anniversary of America's founding, the Black Appalachian Cultural Center would be located in the Fairfield West district, the historic heart of Black Huntington, WV.  It would be the only center of its type in Central Appalachia and serve as the hub of a developing multi-cultural heritage tourism sector that would contribute mightily to the economic and cultural renaissance of Huntington, southern WV, and the Tri-state region.

Three key themes will animate the presentation: First, I will discuss the ideological, legal, and political contributions of Black Virginians/West Virginians to the Modern Civil Rights Movement.  Second, the presentation will serve to inform the members of the inherent bias and, hopefully, educate members on the ways to recognize that bias moving forward, with the goal of mitigating or eliminating it through education of the past. Lastly, the presentation will show how the Black Appalachian Cultural Center will directly address and assist in ameliorating bias by educating the public on the stories, experiences, and contributions of Black West Virginians to the nation and globe.

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