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For blacks in West Virginia in the 1920’s the situation was better than in some of the neighboring states and certainly better than in the deep south.

In the coal mining counties, particularly in the southern part of the state where there were substantial numbers of blacks, they had a political impact.

There were state institutions which were established which spoke to needs of the black citizens of the state.

The down side of race relations, and I think where one has to be careful about claiming exceptionality for race relations in West Virginia, is the fact that we know the Klu Klux Klan was very active in the state in the 1920’s.