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Black History Month: Highlighting Harlem Heights, WV


FAYETTE COUNTY (WVVA) - An atypical black community in southern West Virginia, Harlem Heights was a different world when compared to other black communities during the 1940's.
Located on the outskirts of Oak Hill, the areas low cost allowed black people, who mostly resided in coal camps, to break free from industry owned land and own their own properties.
A park ranger with the New River National Park Service said that is one of the many accomplishments made by black members in that community.
"They even had an elementary school here. The older students went to DuBois High School in Mount Hope. They had several churches in the community and a number of business people that opened shop," said park ranger, Mark Bollinger.

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