As communities across Roanoke continue investing in neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, and community wellness, I believe there is value in looking back at individuals whose lives offer a blueprint for the future. One of those individuals is Dr. John Henry Pinkard.
For many residents, Dr. Pinkard’s name may be unfamiliar. Yet during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, he became one of the region’s most respected African American herbal healers, entrepreneurs, ministers, and community leaders. His influence extended far beyond the walls of his herbal medicine practice. He built businesses, owned property, served his community, and dedicated his life to helping others.
What makes his story especially remarkable is that much of his work took place on Salem Avenue in Southwest Roanoke. My interest in Dr. Pinkard began through historical research, but it soon became personal. I discovered that one of the homes he owned was the same house where I lived as a child on Salem Avenue. As I continued researching his life, I uncovered family connections and community ties that linked my own story to his in unexpected ways. These discoveries reminded me that history is often closer than we realize.
Today, when many people think about healing, they often think only of medicine or healthcare. Dr. Pinkard’s life reminds us that healing can take many forms. He understood that healthy communities require more than physical remedies. They require faith, opportunity, education, economic development, and strong relationships. That lesson feels especially relevant today.
Over the last several decades, many longtime Roanoke neighborhoods have experienced significant change. Families have moved away, institutions have disappeared, and some of the social connections that once held communities together have weakened. At the same time, there is a growing movement of residents, organizations, educators, business owners, and community leaders working to strengthen Northwest and Southeast Roanoke and preserve the history that shaped these neighborhoods.
As a traditional healer, I often reflect on a principle found in many Indigenous and ancestral traditions: everything is interconnected. The well-being of individuals is connected to the well-being of families. Families are connected to communities. Communities are connected to the land. When one part suffers, the effects are felt throughout the whole. Perhaps that is why Dr. Pinkard’s story matters today.
His legacy demonstrates what can happen when someone chooses to invest in the people around them. Through his service, leadership, and commitment to healing, he helped create opportunities and improve lives throughout the region.
As Roanoke continues to grow and evolve, we should not overlook the individuals whose contributions helped build the foundation of our communities. Preserving Dr. Pinkard’s story is not simply about honoring the past. It is about recognizing the values that helped communities thrive in the first place.
In many ways, his life reminds us that healing is not something we receive alone. It is something we create together.
