Total Action for Progress (TAP) will host its annual Black History Month celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Roanoke.
Continuing the journey through Roanoke’s Historically Black neighborhoods and institutions, this year’s honorees are:
Lessie Jones Polk of Roanoke’s Northeast community, currently 102 years old! Mrs. Lessie moved to Virginia when she was approximately 12 years old and lived in Northeast from 1934 until 1961. An integral part of the community, Mrs. Lessie was the first African American president of the Democratic Women of the Roanoke Valley. She was also president of the Garden Clubs of Virginia; a church organist for more than 50 years; owner of a homebased beauty shop for over 70 years and is an active member of the AME Zion Church both locally and nationally. Her proudest accomplishment is having all five of her children graduate from college. She is a wonderful mother, “Big Mama,” friend, and most of all, child of God!
Dr. Isaac Burrell and Dr. James Roberts of Burrell Memorial Hospital – Dr. Burrell received his MD in 1893 from Shaw University’s Leonard Medical College in Raleigh, NC. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Burrell moved to Roanoke where he established a prosperous medical practice as one of the few doctors available to treat African American patients.
He was also the first African American owner and operator of a drugstore and pharmacy here in southwest Virginia. Dr. Roberts was one of the co-founders of Burrell Memorial Hospital, named in honor of his friend and colleague Dr. Burrell. He attended Howard University where he received his undergraduate and medical degrees and was one of three doctors who performed the first major surgery by African American doctors in southwest Virginia—that surgery was performed in his home on Patton Avenue in NW Roanoke!
Major Hill of the Pinkard Court community, was born in Slate Hill, an arm of Pinkard Court. He attended Carver School in Salem through 11th grade until 1966 when integration began. The school then opened as Salem Intermediate School from which he graduated.
“The bus would pick up kids from Boones Mill, then us. If we missed the bus, we could cross the street and beat the bus to school,” he recalls. Major has fond memories of Pinkard Court and of his many neighbors and playmates who lived there, as Larry LaGrande, a baseball player with the Negro League, the Claytors, Reynolds, Calloways, Journigans, and many more. After graduation, Major went into the military where he served during the Vietnam era (1967–1969). He later became an established electrician, working for Beans Electric Company, retiring later from Yokohoma.
Nettie Johnson of the Oldfields community – The sixth of seven children, Nettie spent her early childhood in the Hollins community, also known as “Oldfields.” Her family moved to Philadelphia when she was in grade school, but Nettie returned home to Hollins after starting her own family.
She worked first at the Lakeview Motor Lodge and then at Hollins College, eventually retiring from the President’s House where she had spent many years as a housekeeper for several presidents and their families.
Having gone to hairdressing school while in Philadelphia, Nettie also spent many an evening tending to the hair of friends and neighbors who lived in the Oldfields community.
A natural storyteller, Nettie can recount the history of many long-gone citizens and businesses in the Oldfields community, from the schoolhouse the children attended to the baseball field that hosted traveling games. As a mother of five, Nettie now has 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren. She is active in the First Baptist Church of Hollins and is proud to represent the Oldfields community.
A soul food luncheon will be served immediately following the program. This is a free event with a ($5 suggested donation) to which the public is encouraged to attend.
