New Town: Across the Color Line

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Date
2015-10-05
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Publisher
Virginia Tech
Abstract

“Remembering New Town” is an exhibit project intended to describe and interpret one of Blacksburg’s African American neighborhoods. It will focus most heavily on the period 1900 to 1940. The exhibit is part of the VT Public History program’s ongoing engagement with local history and public audiences. In particular, VT PH makes efforts to excavate and bring to light the history of lost, forgotten, or marginalized groups and events. The New Town community was founded and grew along with VAMC/VPI through the better part of a century and eventually dissolved as Virginia Tech grew into the large university it is today. Virginia Tech led redevelopment of the area in the early 2000s and most of the traces of New Town are now lost to the history.

The African American community was central to Montgomery County and Blacksburg history. Especially since New Town was so proximate to VT, this history will be of great interest to the VT community. Finally, this exhibit will emphasize the geography and spatial dynamics of New Town, which will lend itself to an engaging and experiential exhibit form.

2015/10/05 - 2015/11/20

Description
Keywords
History, American History, Virginia History, Virginia Tech history, Public History, Race
Citation