To celebrate Black History Month, Blue Ridge Job Corps held a virtual panel featuring two distinguished guests. Mr. Vernon Taylor is currently a consultant for Serrato Corporation. Born in rural Georgia, Taylor was adopted at age 2, and attended an all-black school during segregation. He later joined the U.S. Army, and served in Germany, where he met his wife of 45 years. Ms. Diane Hayes is a member of the Board of the Mt. Pleasant Preservation Museum in Marion. She served as a librarian and genealogist in Franklin County, VA, for over 30 years, and she has a vast knowledge of the rich history of African Americans in Southwest Virginia.
Throughout the hour-long panel, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Hayes provided unique insight about black history, and gave accounts of their own experiences growing up during segregation, and later on, integration of the schools. Ms. Hayes provided photos of Marion and the surrounding community collected over the years for the museum, including Carnegie School, which was the all-black school in Marion. Mr. Taylor said that black history is so important, because people of all races deserve to know “the rest of the story.” Ms. Hayes agreed, staying that black history needs to be taught more thoroughly in schools so that there is a well-rounded understanding of the past.
Overall, the panelists and students had a very important conversation not only about black history, but about the current state of our nation when it comes to racial equality, and the importance of continuing to educate ourselves on the history to help us move toward a better future.
Blue Ridge Job Corps is extremely grateful to Mr. Taylor and Ms. Hayes for taking time to share their time and perspectives, and look forward to continued dialogue moving forward.