by Shawn Nowlin
History was made at the Dumas Center last Sunday, May 21. A crowd of roughly 150 sold out the launch event for Hidden in Plain Site, a virtual experience that gives viewers an opportunity to visit historic Black sites in Roanoke and learn more about often-overlooked history.
Featured sites include Henry Street, which once housed Black businesses like the Dumas Center, and Dreamland Recreation Center which was a stable in the Black community during segregation. Urban renewal, of the ‘50s and ‘60s cleaned neighborhoods for economic development, is also heavily featured.
Dontrese Brown is the founder of Hidden In Plain Site. He, Dean Browell, and David Waltenbaugh all worked diligently to bring the project to life, especially the 15-minute documentary that all in attendance saw.
“Going to a city simply to tell that community’s story is something we do not do. It’s vital that we work with historians, city leaders, educators, influencers, and others to make sure the right narrative for this experience is created,” Brown said.
Approximately $184,000 was raised for the project, exceeding the original goal by roughly $24,000. Said money funds both the documentary, which can be viewed online and through a virtual reality headset, and the Henrietta Lacks dedicated statue.
According to councilwoman Trish White-Boyd, who spearheaded the project, the unveiling of the Henrietta bronze statue will be on Oct. 4 – the day Gov. Youngkin has declared Henrietta Lacks Day.
“We collectively decided to do a screening all over the city with the extra money rather than charge people. I would certainly describe this project as both educational and a healing experience,” White-Boyd said. “I think it’s good for people to hear about the experiences people went through to better understand their pain. We can’t fully heal as a community without truly exploring the impact of our history.”
Despite living in Roanoke for decades, Darnell Woods says he’s still learning about the city’s history. Toward the end of Sunday’s event, he had an opportunity to speak directly to the Hidden in Plain Site leaders. “So many things went wrong during the 1950s and 60s in Roanoke. I applaud you guys for shedding light on this important history. If we don’t tell our stories of history to our kids, we are doing them a disservice. We must all do our part to make sure Roanoke’s Black history is never forgotten.”
Interested individuals who missed the launch event can attend one of the other showings on Aug. 16 at the Grandin Theater or the Jefferson Center on Sept. 28.
