'Right the Record' project proposes Black history plaques in downtown Culpeper
Allison Brophy Champion, Culpeper Star-Exponent, Feb 1, 2022
Progress continues on the local project to gather, document and showcase Black history in Culpeper.
It’s been less than a year since Town Council signed off on the initiative organized by historian Zann Nelson, Michelle Tutt, Angela Chapman and others to develop a report to tell a richer and more inclusive story.
They are calling it, “Right the Record.” Culpeper Tourism Dept. has lent its support as history is the locality’s one No. 1 draw.
Tourism Director Paige Read joined Nelson in giving an update Jan. 25 to the town committee that earlier supported the work.
A lot of Culpeper’s history over time, Read said, has been focused on the Civil War and the American Revolution. Not fleshed out so far, she said, is Culpeper Black history.
“It’s not been overlooked, but it’s not been fully told,” Read said.
The Right the Record project is initially focused on the historic Black business district that operated during segregation at the end of East Davis Street. Known as the Wharf and Fishtown, the area was geographically located around the Depot and Commerce Street.
Nelson and her team have been collecting those stories for nearly a year now, greatly aided by Chapman’s extensive local history library. The team has shared its first batch of stories, Read said, that will be physically highlighted with downtown plaques on significant downtown sites.
Each plaque will include a QR code for further research online at the tourism web site. The history can also be incorporated in walking tours, Read said.
“We are really looking forward to bringing these assets to life and are making progress,” she told the committee last week.
Nelson credited Chapman and Tutt for providing documentation for the project that will recognize significant members of the African-America community in Culpeper.
“There’s so many people,” Nelson said.
The group has narrowed down an initial list to 12-15, she said, and will present a document at the Town Council meeting Feb. 8.
The 200 block of East Davis Street was a thriving commercial and residential district for decades during segregation, Nelson said, noting they have identified probably 20 different sites associated with that history.
They are working with business owners to get permission to install the plaques recognizing that history at around a half-dozen sites to start, including the Depot, owned by the town.
“We are very eager to move this on,” Nelson said. “It’s a missing piece of Culpeper’s history and it doesn’t have to be.”
Dr. Elijah Barber (1898-1992), Culpeper’s first Black physician, is among those to be featured for Right the Record. His office was in the 200 block of Davis Street. Barber treated both white and Black patients.
“Dr. Barber offered a payment plan,” Nelson said. “He did house calls and delivered a lot of babies.”
Mayor Frank Reaves Jr. knew the legendary local doctor.
“When you went to Dr. Barber, it was just like a lunch line—it went all the way up the street and he waited on everybody,” the town’s first Black mayor said. “When you went to him you were healed.”
Chief Chris Jenkins, a Culpeper native like Reaves, also recalled the good doctor.
“He was a quite horseman,” said Jenkins of Dr. Barber. “He was at Charles Town when not at Davis Street,” he added of the West Virginia race track frequented by locals.
Councilwoman Jamie Clancey thanked the history team for its work and research.
“It is sorely needed and well appreciated,” she said.
Councilwoman Meaghan Taylor said it was a fantastic start to the project.
“It’s clearly going places,” she said at last week’s committee meeting.
Nelson said it is exciting and gratifying work.
“We have so much rich, rich history in our African-American ancestors that we can all be proud of,” she said.