Virginia Western Community College and the Harrison Museum of African American Culture will host a historical talk by the Honorable Nelson Harris as part of the Artists and Musicians Lecture Series on Thursday, March 12. Harris, the former mayor of Roanoke City and an adjunct faculty member at Virginia Western, will be signing his new book “The Roanoke Valley in the 1940s” beginning at 5:30 p.m. during a reception prior to the speaking program at 6:15 p.m. at Center in the Square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harris, who is the Pastor of the Heights\nCommunity Church, served as mayor of Roanoke City from 2004-08. He has taught\nphilosophy and history classes at Virginia Western. Harris’ newest book, his 13th<\/sup>\nrelated to local history, details a dynamic period of growth in the Roanoke\nValley as well as a burgeoning civil rights movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “The 1940s was a significant decade for\nthe Roanoke Valley with the beginning of the local civil rights movement, the\nimpact of World War II, and the post-war boon in municipal projects, businesses\nand retail,” Harris said. “The era was also marked by the lighting of the\nRoanoke Star, the advent of drive-in theatres, and the wide array of sports and\nentertainment celebrities that regularly came through the valley such as Jesse\nOwens, Joe Louis, and the stars of the Grand Ole Opry. I have tried to capture\nevery facet of life in the valley during the 1940s to provide a work that is\nboth enlightening and entertaining.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harris’ talk at the Harrison Museum is\n$20 per person, free for students with a Virginia Western ID, and open to the\npublic. The museum is located on the second floor of the Center in the Square\nbuilding in downtown Roanoke, One Market Square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We are thrilled to help present this\ntalk for our students and the community,” said Amy Anguiano, Dean of Virginia\nWestern’s School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. “The Roanoke Valley has a\nvery rich history, and it’s so important for us to remember and understand it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information on the Artists and\nMusicians Lecture Series or Nelson’s talk, contact coordinator Joan Baker\nWashburn at 540-293-1310 or joanbwashburn@gmail.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n