HISTORY

What do you think of when you hear the words “Kentucky Derby?”

Has it really been about 100 years since arguably America’s first true sports icon was in his heyday?

Each year on April 15 marks another Titanic Remembrance Day, a time to reflect on the lives lost when the famed ship sank into the North Atlantic’s icy waters back in 1912.

The African American Legacy Tour series will gradually incorporate additional African American sites of memory and cultural significance that are located throughout the counties and cities of the New River Valley, providing a unique, visceral, and honest pathway for community members to reinvestigate Black histories and experiences in rural Appalachia in Southwest Virginia from Slavery to Civil Rights.

Sports are so powerful -- they transcend just the court, the mat or the field: They have the power to change lives.

A World War II veteran made a special appearance at Lord Botetourt High School on Tuesday.

One family in Lynchburg is renovating a home that could be a hub for African American culture.

With the first weekend of the Winter Olympics coinciding with the first weekend of Black History Month, it’s a good time to look back at how both Olympic and Black history was made 20 years ago this month at the Winter Games.

Researchers say slave numbers increased significantly after the railroad was built through Radford.

Whether you feel like you have a strong understanding of black history, or you're working to learn more, we've assembled 10 facts, or anecdotes, from history.com, to help you grow your knowledge base.

It all started with one week in 1926, when one organization chose the second week of February to promote the achievements by Black Americans and other people of African descent.

Fleming Mountain Grill opened up in the former Mitchell's Grocery building that's been vacant since 2014.

National Michigan Day is Jan. 18.

225 years ago, a man named William Black formally established the Town of Blacksburg.

Only three Tuskegee Airmen are alive today, but the son of one is making sure people know about their legacy.

The Virginia Department of Education is under scrutiny for proposed revisions to the History and Social Science Standards of Learning.

The artifacts included a flag raised by first responders in New York City after the attacks and a marble cross believed to be recovered from the rubble.

A historical Black cemetery in Lexington owned by the city for decades got a much-needed facelift.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to learn more: For some, more about your own heritage, or for others, perhaps another culture.

A plaza at Virginia Tech now pays tribute to some of the unsung heroes in the school’s history.

The marker was unveiled exactly 129 years to the day when Thomas Smith was lynched in Roanoke.

They say it’s important for a city to know its history – even the parts that aren’t told too often.

Last week, dinosaur tracks were discovered in Texas at a state park after a year of excessive drought, KSAT reported.

They are two of just 33 locations awarded a national grant to preserve African American history.

Aharown Campbell, an aspiring attorney, told us how this moment impacted him.

We first introduced you to moonshiners in Franklin County in early April.

March marks Women’s History Month, and the world has spent the past few weeks highlighting and remembering some of the most famous achievements by women throughout the course of history.

In the wake of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement announcement in January, President Joe Biden has nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to be his replacement.

St. Patrick’s Day is here! How much do you know about the holiday, beyond the green beer? Do you know anything about St. Patrick himself, or why we celebrate?

Tuesday marks the start of Women’s History Month, a time to commemorate and celebrate the vital role of women in American history.

Michael Rosato knew he had an incredibly important assignment on his hands when he was commissioned to paint a Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge, Maryland.

Each year, our nation commemorates Veterans Day on Nov. 11, to pay tribute to all American veterans -- living or dead -- but especially to those who served our country honorably during war or peacetime.

Pictures, other items from the late 1800s are now on display for students and staff to see

The museum, located at 901 Court St, is welcoming visitors back to learn more about the history of the Hill City.

When we think of castles, we often think of kings and queens, or maybe even some fairytale Disney movie -- but always some extravagant place, and certainly not one in which we’d be able to stay -- until now.

Most of us are aware of Juneteenth, in that it exists, but there is so much history to know about the celebration.

Did you realize that Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States?

You don’t have to be a history buff to get reeled into “Fighting for Freedom: Black Union Soldiers from Rockbridge”.

A lot has changed since the 1960s. And the world can change quickly, too. If there has ever been a time when that is clear, it’s now.

On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation declaring the second Sunday of each May would be “a public expressions of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country,” also known as, the creation of Mother’s Day.

City leaders unveiled Burrell Memorial Hospital’s historical marker Friday afternoon. The hospital opened in 1915 to serve Black patients and train Black nurses during segregation. Former Roanoke mayor Nelson Harris crafted the application for Burrell’s historical marker. “The legacy of Burrell Memorial Hospital is it was created during segregation, which made it an uphill battle for funding, acceptance, and recognition,” Harris said. “They did it, and they did it well.”The building which once housed the hospital is now Blue Ridge Behavioral Health at the Burrell Center.

It’s time to adjust the clocks in the kitchen, bedroom, car and wherever else is needed, as another daylight saving time day is upon us this weekend.

Herbert Hoover made the Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem. The Star-Spangled Banner was also used before it was officially made the national anthem by the U.S. Navy in 1888 and Pres. Here are a few we think stand atop the list:Whitney HoustonHouston sang the National Anthem at the 1991 Tampa, Florida Superbowl XXV. Lady GagaShe took the stage back in January to perform a rendition of the national anthem for Pres. While sporting a navy and red Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown paired with a golden dove symbolizing peace, Gaga performed the national anthem with style.

We’ve been asking what Black History Month means to you. And we received a variety of answers, and thought we’d highlight some of the responses.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – A historic tavern in Lynchburg is up for sale. The Joseph Nichols Tavern dates back to 1815, and it’s believed Thomas Jefferson was a frequent patron. William Holt is a preservationist and said he bought the building in 2015 because he’s a fan of America’s third president. Holt had plans to restore and reopen the historic landmark last year, but lost the business due to declining health and COVID-19 restrictions.

Fritz Pollard blazed a lot of trails for black football players.

Did you realize that as early as 3 years old, kids are classifying people based on their appearances?

Here are some fun facts about 10 U.S. presidents.

Now this is a group of brave, selfless and hardworking women.

Black History Month is held every year to celebrate the achievements by African-Americans.

February is now underway, and with that comes Black History Month.

We want to know: What does Black History Month mean to you? Did you talk about it, growing up? Did you attend events? We want to hear, in your words, about your experience with the month.

Think you are the expert on the great state of Texas? Try your hand at this quiz for National Texas Day.

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Six women broke the color barrier at Virginia Tech more than 50 years ago, and two of them talked about their time on campus on Friday. Inclusive VT hosted a forum with La Vernee Hairston Higgins and Marguerite Harper Scott as part of its “Unfinished Conversations” series. Higgins and Scott both enrolled at Virginia Tech in 1966. She said the adjustment to college life was difficult because of what she experienced in the classroom. “The hardest part for me was the faculty,” Higgins said.

Harriet Tubman did so much for others -- she escaped slavery and went on to become a leading abolitionist, leading enslaved people to freedom along the route of the Underground Railroad.

As it turns out, random dinner conversations in a Baltimore kitchen led to a significant piece of U.S. history.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Flood of ‘85 is obviously a historic day in our area’s weather, but it was two months later when Virginia’s weather history book had to be re-opened. On January 21, 1985, the temperature dropped well below zero in our entire area. The farther south the jet stream dips, the farther south cold air can drop. Reanalysis of historic cold on January 21, 1985According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, North Carolina , the polar vortex dropped into the Great Lakes on the 19th. This outbreak resulted in the deaths of 126 people, according to the National Weather Service in Morehead City, North Carolina .

The story of afro-textured hair in America is a long one.

Daily COVID-19 deaths in December are listed on a trending social media graphic showing the 10 deadliest days in U.S. history. RELATED: The chilling story behind the ‘Deadliest Days in American history’ meme (CNET)RELATED: Did 4 of the deadliest days in U.S. history occur in December 2020? (Snopes)Recent daily COVID-19 death totals are among the worst in U.S. history, but the graphic leaves out other terrible days, including the entire Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918. 1, though we couldn’t find daily death totals. The meme shows daily COVID-19 fatalities for several days in early December rival these historic tragedies.

Tuesday marks the anniversary of one of the most significant days in U.S. and world history, a day that still lives in infamy, 80 years later.

When President Donald Trump lost November 2020′s election, it marked just the 11th time in U.S. history an incumbent president was beaten in a re-election bid. On the surface, it seems like it might be an awkward transition -- in which the current president vacates his office and is forced to witness the inauguration of his successor. In the middle of the night before the inauguration was scheduled to start, Adams departed Washington, D.C. and started his post-presidential life. 1828There was some bad blood between incumbent president John Quincy Adams and challenger Andrew Jackson, which stemmed from a controversial ending to the 1824 election that involved both men. 1932This was not a peaceful transition of power between outgoing president Herbert Hoover and the man who defeated him in the election, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

This image released by Profiles in History shows a Santa Clause and Rudolph reindeer puppet used in the filming of the 1964 Christmas special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." (Profiles in History via AP)LOS ANGELES – Rudolph and his still-shiny nose are getting a new home, and it's bound to be a lot nicer than the Island of Misfit Toys. The soaring reindeer and Santa Claus figures who starred in in the perennially beloved stop-motion animation Christmas special “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” are going up for auction. Auction house Profiles in History announced Thursday that a 6-inch-tall Rudolph and 11-inch-tall Santa used to animate the 1964 TV special are being sold together in the auction that starts Nov. 13 and are expected to fetch between $150,000 and $250,000. The figures would make their way to the New York offices of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass.

ROANOKE, Va. – A landmark railroad station in Roanoke is now a destination for weddings and banquets. The Virginian Railway Station is now an events venue named ‘The Virginian,' run by local company Chanticleer Catering. The event venue replaces Steger Creek, a gift shop that closed its doors last year. The station on the corner of Jefferson Street and Williamson Road was built in 1909 and rehabilitated by Roanoke’s National Railway Historical Society chapter in 2016. The historical society owns the building, and say they are excited to show off the beauty of the train station once again.

The flood happened on November 4, 1985, but a new exhibit at City Market aims to teach those who weren’t alive than about the severity of the storm. Five signs were installed on Market Square Friday morning, showing pictures of the devastation and facts about the flood. The installation is a joint effort of Roanoke Stormwater and the History Museum of Western Virginia. It’s never happened at this scale in Roanoke since, and I’m so thankful that it hasn’t.”The display on City Market is accompanied by a photography exhibit at the history museum, which opens on Sept. 22. “Hopefully the people who were not alive or in the Roanoke area will see what an impact the flood had,” said Webb.

ROANOKE, Va. – A new addition to a Roanoke rail yard will help keep the city’s train history alive. Roanoke’s chapter of the National Railway Historical Society built a structure on its property to protect both train cars and volunteers from the weather. The structure will soon house Norfolk & Western car 512, a formerly segregated passenger car, as volunteers work to restore it. Chapter vice president Gary Gray said volunteers have often been interrupted in their restoration work by the weather. "It’s going to be great to be able to not get wet.”According to Gray, the new shelter costs $50,000 to construct, which the chapter paid for themselves.

If social media existed 455 years ago, a historic feat produced by a Spanish man probably would’ve made feeds all around the world.

It happened in less than 30 minutes, but that’s all it took to create one of the most famous moments in history.

Three days later, another atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. Below are images of the destruction, copyright Getty Images. (Getty Images)A mother tends to her injured child, a victim of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. (Getty Images)Wreckage of buildings in Hiroshima after the dropping of the atomic bomb. (Getty Images)

Fifty years ago, the former Post Office Department changed over and became the United States Postal Service. Postal Service, as we know it now, has only been around since 1970? Energized by the Civil Rights Movement, postal workers in New York went on strike, and the movement eventually swelled across the country. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where employees would note the postage due (or paid) in the upper right corner. Postal Service stands financially, perhaps we do have to consider, what if the mail goes away someday?

Statues that have stood for years -- and in some cases, decades -- have been top of mind all across the country as protests take place following the deaths of George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks.

Besides, nobody knew exactly where the ship was anyway, and even the most developed technology couldn’t locate it miles below the surface of the ocean. The only problem was that the Navy didn’t want anything to do with the Titanic. Finally, pieces of debris appeared on the cameras of Knorr, one of which was the boiler of the Titanic. In the summer of 1986, Ballard returned to the Titanic wreckage as part of the first submersible that took humans underwater there for further investigation. The aftermathIn the years after the discovery, numerous dives and expeditions have taken place to retrieve valuable items from the Titanic.

If it goes off as planned, this will mark the first mission involving astronauts from U.S. soil since 2011. Still, NASA astronaut Bob Behnken has said he and Doug Hurley are “really comfortable” with the risks. So you’re making educated guesses, at best.”It seems there’s just more uncharted territory when it comes to space travel. “The first astronauts really started out as test pilots,” Garfinkle said. But assuming this launch goes well, “It would be great for kids to see a successful, triumphant moment of science,” Fink said.

With all due respect to Charles Dickens, this is a tale of how two cities handled a health crisis via social distancing, with opposite results. Days later, hospitals in the area were filled with patients suffering or dying from the Spanish flu. On the other side of the ledger, things were way different in St. Louis. After detecting its first cases of the Spanish flu in the community, St. Louis closed buildings such as schools, churches, courtrooms and libraries. The Spanish flu was nothing to mess around with, since ultimately, an estimated 20 to 50 million people died after contracting the virus.

Peruse the Instagram page of the late, great Kobe Bryant and you’ll notice a few things: The love he had for his wife and daughters, and just how thoughtful he was in several facets of life. In the post before that one, Bryant gave thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr., saying, “Thank you for THE dream. Bryant posted the sentiment on Jan. 20, which marks the federal holiday on which we celebrate and honor the life of MLK. This wasn’t the only time Bryant has commented on the icon that was Civil Rights leader MLK. And the determination to stick with that, and believe that the human spirit will eventually triumph, are the things that inspire me the most.”#DearBlackAthlete: Kobe Bryant on Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s not all about policies, campaigning and fighting with other politicians.

It’s not all about policies, campaigning and fighting with other politicians.

That might sound contradictory and impossible by math standards, but that partly explains the greatness of the Harlem Renaissance. The result was the birth of the Harlem Renaissance, a cultural, artistic, social and intellectual explosion that spanned the entire Roaring ’20s. One of his most recognized works was a poem called “Madam and the Minister,” which spoke of the mood toward religion in the Harlem Renaissance. One of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston was a key contributor to a magazine called “Fire! There no doubt will be good celebrations in 2020, but, given the Harlem Renaissance was more than just a one-year movement, the tributes will be lasting for years to come.

ROANOKE, Va. – The stained glass windows inside Greene Memorial United Methodist Church’s sanctuary are no longer obscured by scaffolding. The sanctuary, which was built in 1892, reopened for Sunday service after it had been closed for repairs since March. “There is an energy that was crackling in the sanctuary today," said Greene Memorial United Methodist Church’s pastor, Rev. "It’s an enthusiasm and a hopeful feeling as they looked at all we had done in 8 months. Greene Memorial had held its services in its basement and in its lobby while the sanctuary was being repaired.