Collections : [Roanoke Public Libraries]

The Kern Papers are comprised of documents, photographs, and newspaper articles that are a product of the research done by Kern during his time as Roanoke Regional Director for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources at the Department of Historic Resources. The collection includes copies of nominations of historic sites in Southwest Virginia to the National Registry of Historic Places and the research that went into those nominations, including records, photographs, and newspaper articles. Also included in Kern’s papers is his research of several areas in Southwest Virginia, including sites in Roanoke, Henry, Montgomery, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Smyth, Franklin, Floyd, Washington, Giles, and Russell Counties as well as in Roanoke City, Blacksburg, Wytheville, Buena Vista, and Covington, that were not nominated, research on Robert J. Boland and John Willis Chappelear, Jr, that were submitted to the Dictionary of Virginia Biography series, articles and research on subjects related to black history in Southwest Virginia, and documents related to workshops and conferences on black history that Kern helped organize. Research and a paper done under Kern’s supervision by an intern on Roanoke’s segregation ordinances is included as well. Many of the reports and nominations included can also be accessed online at www.dhr.virginia.gov.