West Virginia

West Virginia’s importance to the Civil Rights Movement began long before the 1950s. Visiting West Virginia lets you trace the plight of African Americans from the time of the Civil War right up through the modern Civil Rights Movement. Discover Harpers Ferry, the setting of several climactic events from the 1850s and 1860s that helped shape the country’s civil rights narrative. In Charleston and Huntington, visit the homes of two civil rights heroines – Elizabeth Harden Gilmore and Memphis Tennessee Garrison – who dedicated their lives to improving racial equality before, during and after the Civil Rights Movement. West Virginia’s rich history helps weave together the stories of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, giving visitors a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the stories that shaped the United States in the fight for equality.