Black History

Jefferson County can proudly claim a large number of firsts when it comes to African Americans in national history. The raid to free slaves that served as a catalyst for the Civil War was led by abolitionist John Brown in Harpers Ferry. The first man wounded in the rebellion was Heyward Shepherd, a free African American and a Jefferson County resident. Pres. Abraham Lincoln appointed Jefferson County native Martin Robison Delany as the first African American field officer of the Civil War. In 1906, the Niagara Movement, forerunner to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), held its first meeting on American soil on the Storer College campus. The first woman to become the coach of a men's college basketball team was also an African American from Jefferson County. Additionally, the Colored Horse Show held in Charles Town was the first of its kind for African Americans.

Preston County, an area nestled in the northern corner of West Virginia, is bounded on the north by
Pennsylvania and the Mason-Dixon line and on the east
by the state of Maryland. This scenic Appalachian region is primarily a farming community, though mining, timber, recreation, and tourism have also been vital contributors to the county's economy. The small yet vibrant African-American community of Preston County, whose story is told here through family photographs, documents, and memories, is a vital part of the county's heritage. For generations, these families have worked on the land and in the mines; they have raised their children and built their homes in Preston County. Vintage images from as early as the 1860s preserve the
African-American story of the mothers and fathers and
the mine workers and farmers who have played and
continue to play an important role in the history of this beautiful part of the world.