ROANOKE, Va. – Patchwork 250 is a new initiative from WSLS 10 that tells Virginia’s story, one piece at a time. Like a quilt made of many patches, every person, story, and tradition adds something special to our history. Join us as we celebrate 250 years by sharing the stories that make our region unique, one patch at a time.
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In an era of segregated healthcare, Roanoke’s Hunton Life-Saving Crew broke barriers as the nation’s first all-Black volunteer rescue squad.
“There was not a life-saving crew that served the African American community,” explains Nelson Harris, former Roanoke mayor and local historian.
Alexander Terrell founded the groundbreaking organization on December 21, 1941, just two weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack. At a time when segregation restricted African Americans’ access to medical care, the crew filled a crucial gap in emergency services.
What began as a group of 19 dedicated men and women grew to nearly 50 members over time. The crew received essential medical training from doctors and nurses at Gainsboro’s Burrell Memorial Hospital, the only hospital serving Black Virginians in the region. Members operated around the clock, initially responding to emergencies in their personal vehicles before acquiring ambulances.
Based at the Hunton YMCA in Roanoke’s Gainsboro neighborhood, which served as the heart of Black civic life, the crew later established their headquarters at 830 Moorman Road NW. They worked collaboratively with the Roanoke Life Saving Crew, sharing equipment and resources to serve the entire community.
The crew’s influence reached far beyond Roanoke’s city limits. Under Terrell’s leadership, the organization played a pivotal role in establishing similar Black volunteer rescue squads across Virginia and provided guidance for African American emergency response units nationwide.
As desegregation progressed, the crew’s role evolved.
“In the 50s and 60s, as things began to be desegregated, including medical care, then the Hunton Squad actually became part of a larger rescue squad response effort in the city,” Harris notes.
After 46 years of distinguished service and numerous awards, the crew’s operations were suspended on July 21, 1987, due to a shortage of volunteers.
Today, a state historical marker at the former Hunton YMCA site commemorates this pioneering organization’s contributions.
“It really is something unique to Roanoke to know that we had at one time the first black volunteer rescue squad in the United States, and that’s something we ought to be proud of and something we ought to celebrate,” Harris reflects.
While professional paid responders have largely replaced volunteer rescue squads in urban areas, the Hunton crew’s groundbreaking work helped pave the way for diversity in emergency services.
Want to discover more stories that make Virginia unique? Visit the Patchwork 250 page to explore the full quilt of our region’s history, one patch at a time.