The annual Deyerle Program Series on Local History returns to MRL's Central Library with four in-person events during the month of October. This popular annual lecture series features local historians, scholars, and area experts who explore a broad range of subjects surrounding the history of the Shenandoah Valley. This year's series focuses on topics related to African American History in the Shenandoah Valley and will take place weekly on Thursday evenings at 7PM from October 2-23, 2025. Advance registration is requested through MRL's Event Calendar.
Topics and speakers for the 2025 Deyerle Program Series are as follows:
October 2 @ 7PM: Monica Robinson, Director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project, will be discussing a topic of local interest.
October 9 @ 7PM: “A Miserable Revenge” Mollie Godfrey, PhD, Director of Graduate Studies and professor in JMU’s English Department discusses a previously unpublished novel written in the 1870s by George A. Newman (of Dallard-Newman House fame). “A Miserable Revenge” is among only a handful of Black-authored novels written before the 1890s. It was preserved as a handwritten manuscript in the family’s private papers for well over a century and was recently donated to JMU Special Collections, where Godfrey and her colleagues had it digitized, transcribed, and published.
October 16 @ 7PM: “The 1910 Legal Lynching of Pink Barbour” Gianluca De Fazio, PhD, associate professor in JMU’s Department of Justice Studies, will discuss the case of Pink Barbour, a Harrisonburg man in his early 20s who was put to death by electric chair less than three months after being accused of murder.
October 23 @ 7PM: “Harrisonburg’s Green Book House” Mark Sawin, history professor and Director of Honors at EMU, will share information about the Ida Mae Francis Tourist Home. The Green Book, which was published for over 30 years in the mid-20th century, was a listing of businesses that would serve Black travelers. The Ida Mae Francis Tourist Home became the first property in Virginia to be listed on the state’s Landmarks Register in June 2024 for its significant association with the Green Book.
Now in its 21st year at MRL, the Deyerle Program Series on Local History is made possible through the generosity of the Deyerle family, in honor of their parents, Dr. Henry P. and Mary Elizabeth Deyerle. In addition to being respected medical professionals in the local community, the Deyerles were widely known for their passion for collecting American antiques. Their interest in 18th and 19th century domestic artifacts made in the eastern United States was instrumental in raising awareness for the work of the Shenandoah Valley artisans who were active during these centuries. The Deyerles’ collection preserved and highlighted the cultural traditions and artistic achievements from the Shenandoah Valley’s past, and it is this insight into local history that the annual Deyerle Program Series seeks to foster and encourage.
All events hosted by Massanutten Regional Library, including the Deyerle Program Series on Local History, are free and open to the public, and you do not need a library card to participate. Find details and a registration link for each session at our Event Calendar.
