Vote: Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts: Zander collection selected at 2021 honoree

Big Stone Gap, VA — The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to announce that the Jessie Reasor Zander Collection, circa 20th Century has been selected as one of the 2021 Honorees of the Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts, sponsored by the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM).

The Jessie Reasor Zander Collection is composed of photographs and documents chronicling the African American experience in Wise County, Virginia, from the early 20th century through 2010.

Zander was born in the tiny coal mining community of Inman, Virginia, and went on to become the first African American to graduate from Berea College, in 1954. She has since gone on to become a prominent teacher, poet, and community leader.

The collection, accumulated over decades by Zander, includes photographs and memorabilia from schools and churches that tell the story of an Appalachian African American community literally from birth until death.

The public is invited to vote daily for their favorite Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifact in an online voting competition January 11-20, 2021. The artifact receiving the most votes during this ten-day competition will be recognized as the People’s Choice Awards and receive $1,000 respectively to conserve their artifacts and care for their continued preservation. Remaining honorees will be eligible for other monetary awards provided by the selection committee. This funding is made possible through the generous support of the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond and Blandford Rees Foundation.

Learn more and vote online at https://www.vamuseums.org/virginias-top-10-endangered-artifacts.

The award-winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.