Mayor Joe Cobb also made a proclamation declaring July 5, 2025 as “Booker T. Washington Park Day” in honor of its cultural significance and historical value to Roanoke.

This weekend, a historic milestone is being honored in Franklin County. The Booker T. Washington National Monument is commemorating 160 years since his emancipation. The event showcases how the monument is bringing Washington’s story to life through reflection, music, and education.

On Monday, we celebrate Juneteenth, the historical day when enslaved people learned they were free.

RICHMOND, Va. – A state senator from Roanoke County hopes to immortalize famed author and orator Booker T. Washington with a permanent place at the State Capitol. Sen. David Suetterlein introduced Senate Resolution 95, which would start the process of planning a statue for Washington on Capitol Square. Washington was born a slave in Franklin County before becoming a leader in civil rights and founding the Tuskegee Institute. “I really believe that Booker T. Washington needs to be honored in Capitol Square,” Suetterlein told his fellow senators. “He’s a great American and a great Virginian, but Virginia doesn’t get enough credit as we should for this great Virginian that did so much for the country.”AdSuetterlein also sponsored a similar bill during last year’s legislative session, but it did not gain any traction in the General Assembly.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. – One of the most powerful and inspirational voices for civil rights has his roots in Southwest Virginia. Author and educator Booker T. Washington was born a slave in Franklin County near Rocky Mount. Washington himself told the world of his upbringing in his autobiography “Up From Slavery,” and his Virginia legacy has been preserved long after his death. Under her guidance, the University Press recently acquired 14 volumes of Washington’s writings and documents, which stretch back to his time as a slave in Franklin County. “I don’t know that I’ve had many things that I’m more proud of than our ability to get his words out into the larger world,” Moomaw said.