Our Work
Preserving African American history, heritage, and culture of Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Upper Ohio Valley.
Previous Projects
Chapline Street Interpretive Marker
Working with our partner, Wheeling Heritage, EBSHF provided research and funding for the installation of the city's newest interpretive marker in April of 2026. It is located near the historic Lincoln High School, and Pythian Building on Chapline Street.
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Additional news coverage
To learn more about the city's goal goal is to help residents and visitors understand Wheeling’s history and the community’s part in the Upper Ohio Valley's story click here
Upcoming Work
Center Wheeling Interpretive Marker
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Again EBSHF is working with Wheeling Heritage to research and install a heritage marker, this time in the Center Wheeling area of Wheeling. Coming soon in 2026
To learn more about the city's goal goal is to help residents and visitors understand Wheeling’s history and the community’s part in the Upper Ohio Valley's story click here
The Improbable Case for the Colored Public School of Wheeling, WV
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Academically researched book on the creation of the Colored School of Wheeling by the Board of Education on the heels of the American Civil War.
Covers the time period of 1863-1900 as Wheeling and America wrestled with the outcomes of the war and the yet unfolding future of the Nation post slavery.
The Long Journey - A Child's Tale
Children's book based on the reality that African American children throughout the northern panhandle of WV traveled to Wheeling for educational aspirations and a brighter future than their parents and grandparents.
Historical fiction in the from a child-friendly book about hope and determination.  Rich illustrations unfold the story in a thoughtful and age apprepriate way.
Wheeling's African American Heritage and History Pop-Up
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Coming in Feb 2027 for Black History Month, EBSHF will present a pop-up of African American History of Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley.
Partnering with Wheeling Heritage, EBSHF will utilize the atrium at the Wheeling Artisan Center from Feb 1-28.  The Wheeling Artisan Center is located at 1400 Main Street, Wheeling, WV 26003
Moonshots
Walking Tour of Interpretive Markers of African American Heritage and HistoryÂ
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Imagine a self-guided tour through the streets of Wheeling, to explore and learn more about Wheeling's African American community's vibrant heritage and history.
This ambitious project will leverage future interpretive markers throughout the city highlighting the people and communities that contributed to Wheeling's extensive history.
Small, but Mighty Museum of African American Heritage and History in Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley
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The African American history is rich, yet much of it remains scattered across fading family memory, churches, schools, archives, newspapers, photographs, private collections, oral histories, and institutional records.
Establishing a physical and virtual space dedicated to Wheeling's African American heritage and history.  A compact indoor museum can give the public a place to encounter that history in a curated, respectful and interactive way.
Oral History Immersive Experience
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A high-tech installation featuring Augmented Reality (AR) storytelling by Wheeling elders.
This moonshot aims to bring history to life by placing virtual storytellers at key historical sites throughout Wheeling. Users with a smartphone can witness personal accounts of historical events exactly where they happened.
The Heritage Scholarship Endowment
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A perpetual fund providing educational support for students researching local heritage.
Beyond just financial aid, this program will match students with mentors in the ancestry and museum fields, fostering the next generation of historians dedicated to the African American experience in Appalachia.