Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

A large crowd of protestors at Liberty University. (Drew Walker/Unsplash)

By Aila Boyd

Here’s what you need to know: Virginia has a long and rich history of protesting over the centuries, with the most notable period being the Civil Rights era.

Top stories: 

• In 1951, then 16-year-old Barbara Johns spearheaded a two-week strike at Moton High School in Farmville. The students walked out of the African American school in protest over its poor conditions and overcrowding. During that period, students refused to attend class in the hope that the county would build a new school suitable for learning.
  
   
• The “Pilgrimage of Prayer” took place in Richmond on Jan. 1, 1959, when 1,800 people gathered at the theatre, The Mosque, as part of a “Pilgrimage of Prayer” meeting through the Congress of Racial Equality. Following the two-hour prayer, 800 of those gathered marched together in the rain to the nearby Virginia State Capitol.
• Tensions flared in Danville during the summer of 1963, shortly after the government’s handling of nonviolent demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama. Initially, protesters came together under the banner of the Danville Christian Progressive Association to march on the city’s municipal building to request equal employment opportunities for African Americans for city jobs.

Want to learn more? We’ve got additional information on the above stories, as well as ways to get involved, at the link below.

By Dogwood Staff

On Jan. 25, 1950, the Northern Cardinal was officially named the Virginia State Bird. Chances are high you’ve spotted these brightly colored birds in your backyard. The species is native to Virginia, going as far back as colonial times, where European settlers noticed that the bird’s vibrant red matched the colors of the robes worn by cardinals in the Catholic Church.

This bird is also the state bird in six other states, including our neighbors Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia. It’s also the state bird in three midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

In 2005, the Downtown Danville Association—later renamed the River District Association—commissioned a 45-by-70-foot “Wreck of the Old 97” mural. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

By Amie Knowles

They gave him his order at Monroe, but train engineer Joseph “Steve” Broady never made it to Spencer, North Carolina. 

The Fast Mail was behind schedule when it left Washington, DC, on Sept. 27, 1903. When Broady took over the shipment in Virginia, he set out to make up the lost time. Traveling approximately 22 mph over the route’s normal speed, Broady attempted an arrival time an hour less than the typical four hours and 15 minutes the treacherous route usually took. The train engineer skipped a regular stop in Gretna—then known as Elba—and continued along the rolling hills of White Oak Mountain near Chatham. 

Once the train reached Danville, Broady’s speed caught up to him. He couldn’t slow the train fast enough to cross over a trestle spanning the Dan River. Before it reached the water’s edge, the train derailed and plunged into a ravine below. The wreck claimed the lives of 11 people aboard, but spared a cage filled with canaries who eventually flew to safety. One of the survivors, express messenger W. R. Pinckney, immediately resigned following the accident.

The tragedy captured local and national attention, ultimately becoming one of the most famous train wrecks in US history. That’s also thanks to multiple recordings and performances of a regionally written song, later made famous by Johnny Cash, Flatt and Scruggs, The Statler Brothers, Roy Acuff, Boxcar Willie and others. In “The Wreck of the Old 97,” singers croon a fairly accurate retelling of the events that occurred on that fateful late-September day. 

A historical marker in Danville told the story locally for years, as well as a commemorative Old 97 Rail Days event hosted by the Danville Science Center. In 2005, the Downtown Danville Association—later renamed the River District Association—commissioned a 45-by-70-foot “Wreck of the Old 97” mural painted by Alabama artist Wes Hardin. The mural rests across the river from where the famous accident occurred, now a bustling local business district.

Friends, we’re wrapping up our coverage on the $60K Club soon. In the coming weeks, this section will transform into a space of helpful action centered around real Virginia needs. 

Job: Construction Project Manager

Location: ADI Construction in Fairfax

Salary: $105,000 to $145,000/year 

Qualifications:

• Experience building relationships and projects
• Knowledge of construction materials, means and methods
• Understanding of Architectural, Structural and MEP plans and specifications
• Proficient in project accounting, project scheduling (Microsoft Project)
• Proficient in Procore, Word, Excel, Outlook
• 10 years in commercial construction referred

Job description on Indeed: “As the lead contact for our clients, the project manager is responsible for the overall success of each project. These responsibilities include bidding and subsequent contracting with both the owners and subcontractors. Weekly and timely tracking of RFIs, change orders, monthly owner requisitions and subcontractor invoices and billings.”

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