2 10 24 https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/00e7519aa97dc1c4e4d6fd07eef89cec.jpg 4d1476136e264050cd0474ac0287c0aa Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically and militarily. The detente with the Communist China under Nixon begins a shift in our “Domino Theory” in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the overthrow of communist governments in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race also changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, intervention and actions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Politically, there was a shift away from liberalism for much of this time period. Political scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra were treated differently than previous scandals, thanks in large part to an increase in television coverage. The governmental role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and more shifted greatly during this time period and that role, and its scope, are still being debated today. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-Present Person An individual. Birth Date 1958 Birthplace Hampton Occupation Youth Sports Mentor Biographical Text A basketball star at Hampton’s Phoebus High School, Marcellus Spencer “Boo” Williams, Jr., left for Philadelphia to become a college standout at Saint Joseph’s University. After playing professional basketball in Europe, Williams returned to Hampton to work as an insurance agent. Inspired by a Philadelphia youth basketball league, in 1982 he created the Boo Williams Summer League with only $400 and forty-six players. The league, now known as the Boo Williams Nike Invitational, has grown to more than 200 teams and more than 2,000 male and female participants from across the country. Over the years his teams have won multiple national Amateur Athletic Union Championships and many players have gone into the college, Olympic, and professional ranks. Envisioning a major youth sports facility for Hampton, in 2008 he opened the Boo Williams Sportsplex, a 135,000-square-foot, 4,000-seat, $13.5 million facility with eight basketball courts, twelve volleyball courts, eight indoor hockey fields, and an indoor track and field. Operating what the Philadelphia Inquirer has called “the nation’s premier youth organization,” Williams has been the AAU chairman of Boys Basketball and a member of the USA/ABA Cadet Committee for Development of Future Olympians. A member of Saint Joseph’s Hall of Fame, Williams was the Walt Disney Wide World of Sports Volunteer of the Year in 2001, and a member of the inaugural class of the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame. In 2013 the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame named Williams one of its three winners of the Mannie Jackson–Basketball’s Human Spirit Award. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/strong-mw-2014" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2014</a> Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honoree, Library of Virginia and Dominion. Bibliography Image Courtesy of Marcellus Spencer Williams Jr. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marcellus Spencer "Boo" Williams Subject The topic of the resource Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Description An account of the resource Marcellus Spencer “Boo” Williams, Jr., created a nationally known summer youth basketball program and led the way in developing a state-of-the-art community sports facility in Hampton. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Honoree Community Leadership and Philanthropy Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/22643b3ade59fcc9690c2ddc015311fb.jpg 9977282813c213ed71fb5e4803e0d27b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emergence of Modern America Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms they viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, urbanization and corruption in the business and political realms. One of the most successful reform movements of the time periods is the women’s suffrage movement. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance and northward migration of the African American population. The time also saw a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in direct retaliation to increased immigration and shifting roles for African Americans. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the United States against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time, and battles spanned the Atlantic and Pacific. The war also led to the rise of Theodore Roosevelt, an increase in propaganda and marketing of a war, both through yellow journalism and war slogans and ephemera encouraging citizens to “Remember the Maine!” Soon after, the United States would come to find itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Person An individual. Birth Date 1863 Birthplace Richmond Death Date 1929 Occupation Newspaper Editor Biographical Text Born enslaved in Henrico County, John Mitchell Jr., (July 11, 1863–December 3, 1929) spent his early years working as a servant in the home of a Richmond attorney. After graduating as valedictorian from the Richmond Colored Normal School and teaching in Fredericksburg, Mitchell became editor in 1884 of the fledgling Richmond Planet, which he published until his death. Known as the “fighting editor,” Mitchell assisted in organizing a black boycott of the Richmond trolley system, spoke out against the disfranchisement of African Americans, and gained notoriety for promoting the Planet’s strong anti-lynching stance. Mitchell represented Jackson Ward on Richmond’s city council from 1888 to 1896. He served as president of the national Afro-American Press Association during the 1890s, and in 1894 became the grand chancellor of the Virginia Knights of Pythias. In 1901 he was the founding president of the Mechanics’ Savings Bank, established to protect the financial interests of the local African American community. In protest of the all-white Republican slate of statewide officers in 1921, Mitchell ran for governor on the party’s “lily black” ticket. The legacy of Mitchell and the Richmond Planet endures. His countless editorials and articles exposed and condemned racial injustice long before the beginning of the Civil Rights movement of the mid-twentieth century. In 2012, a new grave marker was dedicated at Mitchell’s burial site at Evergreen Cemetery, in Richmond. It reads, fittingly, “A man who would walk into the jaws of death to serve his race.” <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/strong-mw-2014" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2014</a> Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honoree, Library of Virginia and Dominion. Bibliography Image Courtesy of the Library of Virginia. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Mitchell Jr. Subject The topic of the resource Strong Men and Women in Virginia History Description An account of the resource As editor of the Richmond Planet, John Mitchell Jr., fought against racism and for African American advancement in politics, business, and education. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2014 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History Honoree Community Leadership and Philanthropy Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/a70f6eb9496f955e01c9ea704d7bc8be.jpg 69422e959574fc2ac8b514d7ac5b68ba Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically and militarily. The detente with the Communist China under Nixon begins a shift in our “Domino Theory” in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the overthrow of communist governments in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race also changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, intervention and actions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Politically, there was a shift away from liberalism for much of this time period. Political scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra were treated differently than previous scandals, thanks in large part to an increase in television coverage. The governmental role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and more shifted greatly during this time period and that role, and its scope, are still being debated today. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-Present Person An individual. Birth Date 1947 Birthplace Roanoke Occupation News Correspondent Biographical Text Born in Chicago, Ann Compton graduated from Hollins College and began her news career as the first woman reporter at Roanoke’s WDBJ television station. Making her mark covering state politics in Richmond, she left in 1973 to become a staff reporter for ABC News in New York. The following year she became the first female correspondent, and one of the youngest, assigned to the White House on a full-time basis. Compton has covered each president from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama, while also reporting on presidential campaigns and political conventions and twice sitting as a panelist on presidential debates. She was the sole broadcast reporter allowed to remain on Air Force One as the president flew across the country on September 11, 2001, for which she and her production team won Emmy and Peabody awards. Honored many times for her accomplishments, Compton has been elected to the Journalism Hall of Fame (2000), the Radio Hall of Fame (2005), and the Virginia Capitol Correspondents Association Hall of Fame (2012) and served as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. In recent years she has served as a national correspondent for ABC’s online and radio news outlets. Compton is a popular speaker who provides firsthand insights into White House politics and the presidents she has covered. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/va-women-2013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2013</a> Virginia Women in History honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of ABC News. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ann Compton Subject The topic of the resource Virginia Women In History Description An account of the resource An award-winning journalist, Ann Compton broke new ground as the first woman White House correspondent for a national news organization. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013 Virginia Women in History Honoree Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/34c10e443d202e6bf9e9d507308cee94.jpg d3144b576b8ffcf6f168dae2b3865c3f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically and militarily. The detente with the Communist China under Nixon begins a shift in our “Domino Theory” in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the overthrow of communist governments in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race also changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, intervention and actions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Politically, there was a shift away from liberalism for much of this time period. Political scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra were treated differently than previous scandals, thanks in large part to an increase in television coverage. The governmental role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and more shifted greatly during this time period and that role, and its scope, are still being debated today. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-Present Person An individual. Birth Date 1945 Birthplace Richmond Occupation Athlete and Entrepreneur Biographical Text Born in the Halifax County town of Clover, Willie Edward Lanier graduated in 1963 from Richmond's Maggie Walker High School as a star football player. He attended Morgan State University, in Baltimore, where he became a two-time Small College All-American. A second-round pick of the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs in the 1967 draft, Lanier became the first African American to play middle linebacker, the position often described as the quarterback of the defense as the leader of the defense on the field, in 1970 he helped spur the Chiefs to an upset win in Super Bowl IV. Nicknamed "Contact" because of his aggressive tackling, Lanier was named to league all-star teams each year between 1968 and 1975 and missed only one game during his last ten seasons. He received the NFL's Man of the Year Award in 1972 for his community volunteer work. Lanier retired in 1977. One of football's greatest linebackers, he was elected to the National Football League Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and named by the NFL in 1994 as one of the top seventy-five players ever to play the game. The Richmond Times-Dispatch Touchdown Club of Richmond's award for the best small-college football player in Virginia is named for him. Since retiring from the game and returning to Richmond, Lanier has become a successful business executive. Active in many charitable causes, he lives in Midlothian and directs the Lanier Group LLC investment firm. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2012" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2012</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of Willie Lanier Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willie Lanier Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Willie Lanier broke through racial barriers in professional football by becoming the first African American to play middle linebacker, the position that directs the defense on the field. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2012 African American Trailblazers Honoree Business and Entrepreneurship Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/b2ab8f805c349172f6a5e3bcd8ee2355.jpg 6b2b00ecb2a4772b21e4f1b1a350112d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postwar United States Description An account of the resource The era immediately following World War II brought about vast changes, not only in foreign policy, but in economics and a changing civic landscape. The liberalism of the New Deal era grew into movements towards increasing civil liberties and economic opportunities, particularly for minorities and women. Protests became more and more common to the average American as groups demanded equal rights and voting equality. These movements were juxtaposed with Jim Crow laws and the reemergence of the KKK, which showed the darker side of life in the American South. The Cold War pitted the United States and its allies in the newly formed NATO against the ever-increasing and expanding Soviet Union and its fellow Communist regimes, particularly China, Korea and Vietnam. While this era is considered Postwar, it is in fact a move towards a new type of war, where campaigns are fought not only on the battleground, but in the political arena and social consciousness as well, fueled strongly by the increasing influence of television news. The fall of the Nazi regime opened the door to the Iron Curtain and Soviet dominance of Eastern Europe, and the defeat of Japan opened previously invaded lands to the chance to choose new leaders, many of whom sided with the tenants of Communism over those of Capitalism. The United States would spend much of this time period combating the “Domino Effect” to try and stem the spread of Communism, particularly in its own hemisphere with Cuba. At the same time, the United States invested millions into Western Europe through the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan to halt the spread of Communism further west. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-1970s Person An individual. Birth Date 1921 Birthplace Danville Death Date 1990 Occupation Stock Car Racer Biographical Text After working as a taxi driver and a moonshine runner, Wendell Oliver Scott (August 28, 1921-December 23, 1990) began racing professionally late in the 1940s. Owners of the Danville raceway approached Scott about racing, with hopes of increasing African American attendance at their events. The officials had consulted with local authorities, who reported that Scott had several speeding offenses and that he was the one moonshine runner that they could not catch. In 1959 Scott won the Sportsman Division championship at Richmond's Southside Speedway and NASCAR's Virginia State Sportsman Championship. In 1961, after nearly 200 wins, he decided to leave the Sportsman and Modified racing leagues and move to NASCAR's major division, the Grand National racing circuit. Racing in nearly 500 NASCAR Grand National (later Sprint Cup) events, Scott earned more than $180,000. He won one checkered flag, in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 1, 1963, but was denied the opportunity to publicly celebrate his only Grand National victory. At the conclusion of the race, Scott was scored a lap down and the second-place finisher, Buck Baker, was declared the winner. Scott contested the decision, and hours later NASCAR overturned the ruling, citing a scoring error. Although Scott never accepted the explanation, he handled the slight with dignity, as he did in scores of other instances of discrimination that he faced in his personal and professional life. A racing accident in Florida forced Scott to retire from competition in 1973. He finished his career with 147 top ten finishes in 495 Grand National starts. He was named to the National Sports Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2011</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of Steerforth Press and reprinted from Hard Driving: The Wendell Scott Story by Brian Donovan. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wendell Scott Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Wendell Oliver Scott was the first African American to drive in the highest level of stock car racing and remains to date the only African American to have won a major NASCAR race. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011 African American Trailblazers Honoree Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/f1951a0806a1866f7962d1a329785777.jpg da65d990fdeacfa15f400e8e504f3e52 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Great Depression and World War II Description An account of the resource Along with events such as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars and the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression helped to shape modern-day America. The circumstances of the Great Depression enlarged the role of the government in the everyday life of Americans, particularly through FDR's New Deal initiative. World War II helped not only to bring the nation out of the Depression, but also put the United States on the world stage as a leader. Unlike previous administrations who subscribed to a certain level of isolationism, both FDR and Truman placed the United States on a path to strong involvement and leadership in worldwide conflicts and reform movements. Additionally, World War II changed the role of women who went into the workforce as American men went to war. Events such as the bombing at Pearl Harbor, liberation of concentration camps, and the use of atomic bombs provide images and stories that have helped to shape future American foreign policy. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1929-1945 Person An individual. Birth Date 1899 Birthplace Lynchburg Death Date 1971 Occupation Physician and Tennis Coach Biographical Text Following a college career playing football at Pennsylvania's Lincoln University as a Negro All-American, Robert Walter "Whirlwind" Johnson (April 16, 1899-June 28, 1971) coached football for four seasons in Virginia and Texas before entering Meharry Medical College, in Nashville, Tennessee. After completing his studies, Johnson established a medical practice in Lynchburg, where he became the first African American to receive obstetrical privileges at Lynchburg General Hospital. His perseverance and advocacy opened the door for other minorities following in his footsteps. In Lynchburg, Johnson discovered and fell in love with tennis. Because he came to the sport too late to establish himself as a top singles athlete, he instead dedicated himself to doubles play and to discovering and coaching younger talent. Johnson formed the Junior Development Program of the American Tennis Association, a program through which he invited dozens of young African American tennis players to learn and train at his personal courts. Through this program Johnson discovered and mentored several successful professional tennis players, most notably Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, the first two African American Grand Slam champions. In 1972 the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame inducted Johnson. He was also inducted into the Mid-Atlantic Tennis Hall of Fame in 1988 and the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009. Johnson's personal accolades included being named an NAACP Life Membership chairman and a recipient of the Spiro T. Agnew Honorary Citizenship Award. The Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Home and Tennis Court were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. Nominated by Leo Goldman IV, in Susan Bayne’s kindergarten class (2009–2010), J. G. Hening Elementary School, Richmond. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2011</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of Robert W. Johnson III. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Robert Walter Johnson Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Robert Walter Johnson was a driving force behind the integration of the sport of tennis. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011 African American Trailblazers Honoree Science and Medicine Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/61615621b52dee02991845aee513c46d.TIF 29bb9821be433a86df1fd38eff7858da Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emergence of Modern America Description An account of the resource The idea of a “Modern United States” begins with the advent of the Progressive era. The Progressive movement focused on reforms they viewed as necessary after drastic increases in industrialization, immigration, urbanization and corruption in the business and political realms. One of the most successful reform movements of the time periods is the women’s suffrage movement. Other movements that gained traction on a new scale during this era were the labor movement, including the rise of unions, and the Harlem Renaissance and northward migration of the African American population. The time also saw a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan in direct retaliation to increased immigration and shifting roles for African Americans. With all of the changes on the home front of America, this era also saw the emergence of the United States as a major world power. The Spanish-American War pitted the United States against a European power other than Great Britain for the first time, and battles spanned the Atlantic and Pacific. The war also led to the rise of Theodore Roosevelt, an increase in propaganda and marketing of a war, both through yellow journalism and war slogans and ephemera encouraging citizens to “Remember the Maine!” Soon after, the United States would come to find itself embroiled in World War I, despite strong isolationist tendencies. Along with a large death toll, World War I led to the development of the failed League of Nations, ultimately pushing the United States even further into an isolationist standing that would last for decades. The immediate postwar period of the “Roaring 20s” saw a domination in politics and economics by big business and its supporters, which would all come crashing down in less than a decade. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1930 Person An individual. Birth Date 1869 Birthplace Newport News Death Date 1942 Occupation Lawyer and Editor Biographical Text Joseph Thomas Newsome (1869-1942) was born in Sussex County. The son of former slaves, Newsome graduated from Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute (later Virginia State University) in 1894 and earned a law degree from Howard University Law School. "Lawyer Newsome," as he was known in Newport News, was involved with several high-profile criminal cases in eastern Virginia, and was one of two African American attorneys who made a successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals (later the Supreme Court of Virginia) in 1931 in Davis v. Allen in which black residents of Hampton were routinely prevented from registering to vote. Politically active, in 1921 Newsome opposed the "lily-white" direction of the Republican Party, and he ran for attorney general on a "Lily Black" Virginia Republican ticket. Newsome helped found and lead the Warwick County Colored Voters League, an organization that lobbied for schools, community improvement, and voter registration. He advocated for and helped secure the first high school for African American residents of Newport News. Newsome remained active in public affairs and at the time of his death was serving as president of the Old Dominion Bar Association, a black counterpart to the Virginia State Bar Association. Newsome edited the Newport News Star from late in the 1920s to late in the 1930s until its purchase by the Norfolk Journal and Guide. Very active in community churches, he also opened his home as a community center, even hosting Booker T. Washington on occasion. Although the Newsome house fell into disrepair after his death, it was renovated late in the 1980s and converted into a community center and a museum for black history, the Newsome House Museum and Cultural Center. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2010" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2010</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of the Newsome House Museum and Cultural Center, Newport News. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joseph Thomas Newsome Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource A leading figure in Newport News, Joseph Thomas Newsome struggled to bring education and voting rights to the African American community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010 African American Trailblazers Honoree Civil Rights and Reform Government and Law Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/61c2f1532bdaaca8631ad07842fe5df5.jpg 5f283de724e24b11a34d669bc65b7abe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically and militarily. The detente with the Communist China under Nixon begins a shift in our “Domino Theory” in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the overthrow of communist governments in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race also changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, intervention and actions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Politically, there was a shift away from liberalism for much of this time period. Political scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra were treated differently than previous scandals, thanks in large part to an increase in television coverage. The governmental role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and more shifted greatly during this time period and that role, and its scope, are still being debated today. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-Present Person An individual. Birth Date 1927 Birthplace Roanoke Occupation Humanitarian, philanthropist, and Editor and Publisher of the Roanoke Tribune Biographical Text Claudia Sedonia Alexander (1927- ) was born in Fayetteville, West Virginia, to Sedonia Rotan Alexander and the Reverend Fleming E. Alexander, the founder and editor of the Roanoke Tribune, a weekly newspaper established in 1941. She attended both Christiansburg Industrial Institute and Bluefield State College in West Virginia. After apprenticing with her father at the Tribune, she left Virginia and continued her work in the often male-dominated field of printing at newspapers in Ohio and New York. When her father was incapacitated by an automobile accident in 1971, she took over the Tribune's operations. Later that year, she married Clifton Whitworth Jr., who assisted her with public relations and bookkeeping for the paper. Today the Roanoke Tribune remains as one of the longest-running black community newspapers in the nation. Claudia Whitworth's lifetime of leadership demonstrates her commitment and investment in both Roanoke and the state of Virginia. In 1991 she was appointed to the Norfolk State University Board of Visitors, and the Virginia Council on the Status of Women inducted her into the Virginia Women's Hall of Fame in 1992. The City of Roanoke honored Whitworth as Citizen of the Year in 2004. The most recent manifestation of Whitworth's philanthropy was her purchase of the Roanoke Funeral Home in 2007. She plans to donate the space, rent-free, as a base of operations for existing service agencies to operate within her neighborhood. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2009</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of the Roanoke Times. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Claudia Whitworth Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Claudia Alexander Whitworth has worked diligently over the decades to improve the quality of life in Roanoke. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009 African American Trailblazers Honoree Business and Entrepreneurship Community Leadership and Philanthropy Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/1d5dcc3bf43ed2916eebbc59250dbdb5.jpg 79bf58013129ac130b3e3f7664bacfea Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Contemporary United States Description An account of the resource This era is, in large part, a study of the United States as a global power – politically, economically and militarily. The detente with the Communist China under Nixon begins a shift in our “Domino Theory” in Asia. The collapse of the Soviet Union, the overthrow of communist governments in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War and the nuclear arms race also changed how the United States interacted with Europe. At the same time, intervention and actions increased in our own hemisphere and in the Middle East. Terrorism also became a driving force behind foreign policy. Politically, there was a shift away from liberalism for much of this time period. Political scandals such as Watergate and Iran-Contra were treated differently than previous scandals, thanks in large part to an increase in television coverage. The governmental role in the economy, environmental protection, social welfare, and more shifted greatly during this time period and that role, and its scope, are still being debated today. Socially, this time period saw for the first time immigration primarily from Asia and Central America. A new wave of reform movements promoted environmental, feminist, and civil rights agendas. There was also a resurgence of religious evangelicalism. Technological advances once again redefined not only the economic landscape of America, but also the lives of everyday citizens. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1968-Present Person An individual. Birth Date 1964 Birthplace Lynchburg Occupation Astronaut Biographical Text Leland D. Melvin (1964- ) was born in Lynchburg to Deems and Grace Melvin. After graduating from Hermitage High School there, he received a football scholarship to the University of Richmond where he studied chemistry. A standout on the field and in the classroom, he is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Academic All-American and was inducted into the University of Richmond Athletic Hall of Fame. After college Melvin was recruited by both the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys but suffered injuries that prevented him from playing. Eventually, he started graduate school at the University of Virginia, studying materials science, and earned a masters' degree in 1991. Melvin began working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Langley Research Center in 1989. Nine years later he was admitted to the Astronaut Candidate training program. Melvin took his first space flight in February 2008, logging more than 306 hours and 5.3 million miles in space as he and the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis delivered a laboratory to the International Space Station. During the mission he operated the shuttle's robotic arm. Melvin retains a wide variety of interests beyond his career. An avid photographer, he displays his work on his personal Web site. He also continues to enjoy sports including cycling, tennis, and snowboarding. As former co-manager of NASA's Educator Astronaut Program, he travels nationwide, speaking to educators and students. Melvin believes that sports are an important part of education, and teaches students that teamwork extends into all aspects of work and life. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2009</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of NASA Johnson Space Center. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Leland Melvin Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Leland D. Melvin inspires young people and encourages them to aspire to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2009 African American Trailblazers Honoree Education Science and Medicine Sports and Media https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/files/original/45ea96b72ce2284b0de789c88630d881.jpg c9f789ba74577fdfd7f8b79822a91c84 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Development of the Industrial United States Description An account of the resource From Reconstruction to the end of the 19th century, the United States went through a dramatic shift in its economic landscape. Industrialization changed not only the nature of business, but also brought technological advances and demand for an ever-increasing workforce. A rapid expansion of the power of big business was countered with the rise of labor movements, and often resulted in conflict, sometimes violent in nature. In contrast to the positive outcomes of technological developments, there were ecological effects not understood at the time, and unhealthy working conditions that often sparked big labor disputes and strikes. This shift was felt not only in the industrial big cities of the North and Midwest, but also in the realm of farming, where the United States was now put into the role of the world’s premier food producer. This era is defined largely by unprecedented immigration and urbanization, both of which fed the industrial system. Immigrants, for the first time, were less and less likely to come from Western Europe, now coming from Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Mexico, and Central America. Along with the need for expanding educational systems, which were often structured to push assimilation, the rise in immigration also led to religious tensions as Protestantism was no longer the dominating faith of immigrants. At the same time as immigrants were flooding the ports of the United States, the government launched wars against the Plains Indians, forcing the “second great removal” and defining a federal Indian policy that would last for decades. Learn more in the National U.S. History Content Standards. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1870-1900 Person An individual. Birth Date 1846 Birthplace Portsmouth and Norfolk County Death Date 1927 Occupation Educator and Journalist Biographical Text John Wesley Cromwell (September 5, 1846–April 14, 1927) was born into slavery in Portsmouth, Virginia, but became a powerful leader and educator. By 1851 he, his parents, and siblings were all free, and the family had settled in Philadelphia. Educated at a Quaker school, he taught in Pennsylvania and Maryland schools and in various Virginia locales before entering Howard University's law school in 1871. Cromwell worked at the Treasury Department until 1885 and then he practiced law. When he appeared before the Interstate Commerce Commission as counsel for the plaintiff in William H. Heard v. the Georgia Railroad Company in 1887, he was likely the first African American attorney to argue a case before such an important federal body. From 1889 until at least 1919, Cromwell taught or served as principal at several District of Columbia schools. He initially supported Booker Taliaferro Washington's vision of black education, but his support of Washington waned as Cromwell came to believe that the quest for education and material success should be subordinate to seeking political solutions for racial problems. After a Richmond meeting of the Virginia Educational and Literary Association in 1875, his keynote speech was published as an Address on the Difficulties of the Colored Youth, In Obtaining an Education in the Virginias (1875). A gifted organizer, Cromwell was involved in the creation of the Virginia Educational and Historical Association, the National Colored Press Association (after 1894 the National Afro-American Press Association), and the Bethel Literary and Historical Association, among others. He was a leader in most of these organizations and participated in many other beneficial societies. In 1879 Cromwell was president of the Banneker Industrial Education Association. He served the Hampton Negro Conference from 1897 until at least 1903. Cromwell helped found the American Negro Academy in 1897. He became the public face of the ANA and in 1919 became the academy's fourth president. Cromwell began publishing the People's Advocate in Alexandria in 1876 and continued to own and manage it for at least eight years. He often wrote on educational and historical subjects, including The Jim Crow Negro (1904), The Negro in American History: Men and Women Eminent in the Evolution of the American of African Descent (1914), and articles for the Journal of Negro History. He died in Washington, D.C., in 1927 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery there. <a href="https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/trailblazers-2008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2008</a> African American Trailblazers honoree, Library of Virginia. Bibliography Image Courtesy of the Library of Virginia. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Wesley Cromwell Subject The topic of the resource African American Trailblazers Description An account of the resource Born into slavery, John Wesley Cromwell went on to become an attorney, educator, and publisher of the People's Advocate. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 African American Trailblazers Honoree Education Government and Law Sports and Media