The Port Republic Road community in Waynesboro, VA, also known as ‘The Hill,’ is a significant site in African American history. It was listed on the National Historic Register of Places in 2002. The Julius Rosenwald School, which served Black students from grades 1-12 from the 1920s to 1965, was located here.
‘The Hill’ was a thriving community with about 75 family homes, three churches, a hotel, benevolent lodges, and general merchandise businesses. It was a key business district for the local Black community from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries.
Historical studies often focus on Black business districts in urban areas, neglecting communities like ‘The Hill.’ Yet, the history of this valley community offers important insights into American history, including segregation, prohibition, migration, the Jazz Age, and public school desegregation.
To further study the history of ‘The Hill,’ a lecture will be held on February 8th. Dr. Amy Tillerson-Brown, Dean and Professor of History at Mary Baldwin College for Women, will lead the lecture. It will be held at 6:00 pm in the Waynesboro Library Meeting Room A.