Shenandoah National Park is known as one of Virginia’s natural wonders, attracting over 1.5 million visitors a year. Until the park’s formation in the 1930s, however, much of that land was inhabited by generations of mountain families, whose homes were displaced by the park’s construction through eminent domain. Join us for a virtual talk by author and professor Katrina M. Powell exploring the history of these displacements and the families they impacted.
Powell is an alumni distinguished professor of English at Virginia Tech, and the founding director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Refugee, Migrant and Displacement Studies. She has written two books on the displacement of families from Shenandoah National Park.
This event is one of a series of programs highlighting stories of displacement in Virginia communities as part of the Library's programming related to the exhibition “House to Highway: Reclaiming a Community History,” on view through Feb. 28, 2026. Exhibition-related programming is provided with support from Virginia Humanities and the Mellon Foundation.
This is a free event, but registration is required. For more information, contact education@lva.virginia.gov