Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley contain a locally deep and nationally significant African American history, but much of that history remains dispersed across family collections, churches, schools, newspapers, institutions, oral memory, and private records.
EBSHF exists because preservation cannot be left to chance. Photographs fade, elders pass away, records disappear, and community stories can be lost when no institution is organized to protect them.
The Foundation is intended to be a trusted public resource where local African American history is preserved with dignity, documented with evidence, and made accessible for education, research, and community understanding.
The work is not only about collecting materials; it is about restoring context, strengthening memory, and ensuring that future generations can study the history with accuracy and reflection.
What Drives Us
Preserving African American history, heritage, and culture in Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Upper Ohio Valley.
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What We Do
Important stories, records, photographs, oral histories, and community achievements remain dispersed, fragile, or underrepresented. EBSHF is built to preserve these materials, tell their full story, and make them accessible for education, research and public understanding.
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Partner with families, churches, schools, libraries, museums, universities, and community organizations.
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Support accurate historical research and share findings through publications, digital projects, and accessible public resources.
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Conduct oral histories and interviews that preserve personal stories, family histories, and lived experience.
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Build pathways for scholarships, student learning, mentorship, volunteer service, and emerging researchers.
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Develop lectures, workshops, school resources, public programs, exhibitions, and community learning opportunities.
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Acquire, document, digitize, and safeguard photographs, papers, artifacts, publications, and other historical materials.
We are calling on passionate neighbors, local congregations, and community groups to help us spotlight the vibrant heritage of Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley. Do you have precious family heirlooms, vintage photographs, or archives tucked away? Join us in sharing these treasures with our community. You can contribute items to our permanent collection or allow us to digitize them so you can keep the originals—your history will spark joy in our upcoming pop-up museums and future exhibits.
Be a voice for the past through our inspiring collaboration with the Ohio County Public Library. We are looking for energetic story-seekers to record oral histories and conduct interviews that capture the beautiful, lived experiences and powerful personal journeys of our elders.
Ignite your curiosity as a volunteer researcher. If you love diving into genealogy, uncovering hidden milestones, or helping document the rich African American legacy of our region, we need your talent to bring these incredible stories to life.
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What You Can Do to Make a Difference
Become a contributor