DANVILLE, Va. – In the summer of 1963, as racial tensions reached a crescendo across America, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made a series of pivotal visits to Danville that would leave an indelible mark on the city’s civil rights movement.
“My mother was arrested, my brother was arrested, my uncle, my aunt, my cousin — we marched and went to jail,” recalls Sherman Saunders, former Danville mayor, highlighting the deeply personal nature of the local struggle for equality.
The civil rights leader’s presence in Danville came at a critical moment. His second of three visits followed what became known as “Bloody Monday,” when 47 protesters were injured during demonstrations for equal rights.
“I was in awe because he was such a kind, warm, soft-spoken gentleman,” says Carolyn Wilson, a Danville resident who witnessed King’s visits firsthand.
The High Street Baptist Church served as the epicenter of Dr. King’s engagement with the community. Today, the historic sanctuary stands as a testament to those transformative times, when it would be packed wall-to-wall with community members gathering to hear King speak.
“They came here to march with us, to stand with us, to go to jail with us, to bring about a positive change,” Saunders says. “It let people know that Danville was included in the movement — not just the South, not just the North.”
During these visits, civil rights leaders provided practical guidance to local activists. Wilson remembers, “They were showing us how to go limp, how to cover ourselves, what to do and not to do, especially while demonstrating.”
Pastor Michael Pritchett of High Street Baptist Church sees the legacy of those days in contemporary Danville. “We see it even in a conversation such as this,” he notes, referring to improved Black-white dialogue. “Those conversations are a lot more prevalent.”
For veterans of the movement like Wilson and Saunders, preserving these memories is crucial. “He or she who forgets their past have no future,” Saunders emphasizes. Wilson adds, “Inspire your kids to know what went on. Talk to them about it. Don’t be ashamed about it.”
Their message resonates as a reminder that Danville’s civil rights story, shaped by Dr. King’s presence and the courage of local activists, continues to inform and inspire new generations.