To honor Black History Month, the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce will highlight West Virginia landmarks that have made important contributions to Black history. These sites hold deep significance, telling stories of resilience, achievement and cultural impact that have helped shape the history of our state.

Kimball World War I Memorial

The war memorial in Kimball, McDowell County, was the first building in the United States erected to honor Black veterans who fought in World War I and is still the only memorial of its kind today.

In the early 20th Century, the Southern West Virginia coalfields had a significant Black population. During World War I, McDowell County alone mustered 1,500 Black soldiers. The war memorial also became home to the country's first all-Black American Legion Post, named after Luther Patterson, one of the first Black casualties of the war.

Designed by architect Hassel T. Hicks of Welch, the memorial was dedicated in 1928. For many years, the building served as a focal point of community life. It hosted well-known entertainers such as Cab Calloway and his band.

As mining jobs disappeared and the population of McDowell County declined, the building fell into disrepair. After it was gutted by a fire in 1991, the war memorial's renovation and restoration was launched by a citizens' group. The Kimball World War I Memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

The Kimball World War I Memorial, has garnered many accolades including the 2007 Honor Award from the West Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It also was recognized as a Preservation Solution by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and received the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust Award in 2006. This memorial, once a community center for all races, aims to celebrate the overlooked contributions of African Americans in West Virginia and foster renewed dialogue on race relations nationwide.

Photos & resources thanks to McDowell CVB and the West Virginia Encyclopedia.