Sankofa is a bird symbol that represents looking back to the past to inform the future. The symbol is a mythical bird with its feet moving forward, and its head turned backward. SVBHP’s mission is to learn, share, and illuminate the rich African American history of the Shenandoah Valley. Our Roots Run Deep African American history tours of the Shenandoah Valley help us know about the past to make our futures better. Much of the African American history has perished. Historic churches, schools, businesses, and homes were erased due to the 1960s Urban Renewal efforts. Early communities lost their homes and financial stability due to unjust laws and economic despair. In our tours, many locations are inactive, on private property, no longer standing, and/or are the original structures that have undergone significant renovations. Our tours reflect on the trials and triumphs of black communities of the Shenandoah Valley. The Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project has completed seven tours in the northern part of the valley. It will complete the southern tours thanks to CDS, which is congressionally directed spending that allows Congress to allocate funding for specific local projects from Virginia. The Roots Run Deep tours provide a free educational experience of documented historical African American sites in the valley. This course will teach you about various sites listed in our seven completed tours. This course will consist of five sections:

1. Clarke, Warren, and Frederick Counties. 
2. Shenandoah County, Page, County, and the city of Luray.
3. Rockingham County
4. Harrisonburg City
5. Staunton City.

Monica Robinson serves as Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project, which is in Harrisonburg. Monica moved to Harrisonburg during elementary school and considers the
Valley her home. Monica enjoys volunteering in her community and has been a member of the Board of Directors for Second Home and Our Community Place. Monica is the past President of the Harrisonburg Rockingham National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and she believes in giving voice to those historically silenced and marginalized. Monica attended James Madison University and received a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in Special Education. In 2009, she completed an ABD program in Special Education at Walden University. Monica is currently a City Council Member for the City of Harrisonburg. She loves reading, working in the yard, and spending with family.