The Rockbridge Historical Society’s annual Black History Month series turns to World War II this year: honoring a range of local African American servicemen and women; broader national and global war efforts to win the Double V campaign against fascism abroad, and Jim Crow at home; and the continued push to integrate American women into wider military roles.
As our e-Newsletters roll out this series in the coming months, please check back in to see what new materials we’ve added. You can click hotlinks to access sites, or download full articles. Please Contact Us with your Questions, or suggestions for additions, or to add join the email list for latest releases, additions, and notice of relevant events.
Note: Resources with an * have been produced in conjunction with RHS Programs or Publications.
Partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, the Rockbridge Regional Library System, and local veterans’ organizations: RHS is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of The Vietnam War with a statewide traveling exhibition, Virginia & The Vietnam War (through Dec. 14); a community roundtable and open microphone to share personal witness from the warfront and home front alike (Dec. 7); a film screening of the 1968 episode of Ken Burns’ documentary series, The Vietnam War (Dec. 17).
In January, a meeting of RHS’ Revolutionary Books, 1776-2026, will counterpoint Vietnam infantryman Tim O’Brien’s prizewinning memoir, The Things They Carried, with Beyond Vietnam, the 1967 speech by peace activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan. 13, 6 PM, Lexington Library).
The following night (Jan. 14, 6 PM, Lexington Library), RHS’ companion film series Revolutionary Films, 1776-2026 continues with selected scenes and directors’ interviews with Vietnam-themed featured films such as We Were Soldiers Once, Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, and Heaven & Earth. For more about both the book and film series, clickHERE.
Click HEREfor links to the online readings, and film trailers. Click HEREto read the News-Gazette Feature describing our commemorative series about the Vietnam War, and associated local histories.
To read more about RHS’ leadership with local commemorations of VA250: American Revolutions — and related plans and programming ahead in the coming months – click HERE for the LIFESTYLE Feature in Lexington’s News-Gazette.
Sgt. LeRoy Miller, his Purple Heart, USA Wings, and Service Prayer Book.
This summer witnesses 75th anniversary commemorations of the end of World War II, stretching from Victory-in-Europe Day (May 8, 1945), to the final surrender of Japan (August 15, 1945). These digital profiles provide local histories and images illustrating the contributions of Rockbridge men and women who served in the Armed Forces, were wounded or killed in duty, and those who returned to Rockbridge to shape their lives, families, and communities, here and beyond. Please contact RHS to help us share stories of the people in your own lives whose efforts in World War II can be sustained in our stewardship of in Rockbridge histories.
Rockbridge-tied soldiers fought with state-organized and federal forces across the Union theaters of war, in and beyond Virginia. Among the many regiments they served in were the 107th and 5th U.S. Colored Infantry (above, below).
During the Civil War, more than 60 Black men from Rockbridge served in 29 Union regiments, enlisting in 14 states. Some were free before the war while others were enslaved men who escaped to join the fight to end slavery. They included carpenters, farmers, waiters, a blacksmith, and a descendant of the Hemings family of Monticello.
Cinder Stanton and Larry Spurgeon will discuss their research, and RHS Executive Director Eric Wilson will moderate, with audience Q&A to follow.
