Origins of Green Valley
Green Valley, formerly Nauck, is a traditionally African American neighborhood. Levi Jones first settled in this area and was later joined by other African American families such as Thornton and Selina Gray, William Augustus and Ellen Rowe, and Frank and Mary Williams.
These early residents set the foundations of the community after the Civil War. In 1876, John D. Nauck, a German immigrant, subdivided 69 acres to establish the "Town of Nauck, Alexandria County, Virginia."
The eventual closing of Freedman's Village led to its residents to migrate to nearby communities such as Green Valley, Johnson's Hill, Arlingtonville, and Holmesville.
Community Businesses
The entrepreneurial spirit of Green Valley was born of necessity. Businesses emerged in the shadow of segregation as owners supplied services that otherwise were denied to their community.
James Chinn established Chinn Funeral Services at 2605 S. Shirlington Road in 1946. Robert Baker (center) purchased the business in 1969 and members of the family continue to operate the Chinn-Baker Funeral Home.
Ralph Collins, shown here with his wife, Cornelia, founded Friendly Taxi Cab Company in 1952 as a reaction to the segregation of Arlington Hospital. Services for African American patients were limited and mothers were expected to travel to Washington, D.C. to give birth. Collins recognized this struggle and sought to create reliable hospital transportation for local residents. The Collins family continues to operate the business.
Barber shops have been a mainstay of Green Valley. Galvester Crawley, a previous employee of Majestic Barber shop, established Star Barber around 1956. Ronald Marshall (seen here) began working at the shop as a barber in 1965. Marshall purchased Star Barber Shop at 2530 S. Shirlington Road in 1987.
Green Valley Pharmacy at 2515 S. Shirlington Road was founded in 1952. The building is a Local Historic District and an important part of Arlington's history. Seen here in 2010, the pharmacy helped to shape and define the local community for generations of its residents.
Leonard "Doc" Muse founded Green Valley Pharmacy in 1952 and was its sole operator until his death in 2017. The Pharmacy was especially popular for its dine-in lunch counter. In the early days, an order of two hot dogs cost just 25 cents.
Places of Worship
Churches fulfilled a critical role in the growth and development of Green Valley. They served as social and spiritual anchors while providing sanctuary for generations of residents.
The Methodists were the first religious denomination to establish a church at Freedman's Village. Little Zion Church, now Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church, first was organized in Freedman's Village in 1866. Ten years later, the congregation moved to Green Valley. In 1922, the parishioners constructed their third church, the present-day Gothic Revival-styled building. The church and the cemetery became a Local Historic District in 1984 and were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Our Lady Queen of Peace, established in 1945 and dedicated in 1947, the was the first Catholic church for African Americans in Arlington.
The congregants of Mount Zion Baptist Church established the second church in Freedman's Village in 1866 and worshipped in a building referred to as the "Old Bell Church." Mount Zion Baptist Church existed in multiple buildings and locations, and was built on its current site in 1945.
Macedonia Baptist Church, established in 1911, dedicated its first building in 1927. It was the first Baptist church founded by Green Valley residents. After outgrowing the original location, the congregation built the present church on 22nd Street South in 1971.
Recreation
County facilities for African Americans during segregation were limited. Jennie Dean Park offered outdoor play fields and tennis courts. Neighbors also gathered to enjoy seasonal sports, express support for local teams, and participate in social dancing. These shared recreational activities were an important part of life in Green Valley.
Music was a popular pastime for both youth and adults. Seen here is a group of female students in the 1950s posing with their trumpets. During segregation, Ernest Johnson (far left) led the African American section of the Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation.
The Green Valley Ball Park held amateur African American baseball games. Pictured above is the Green Valley Black Socks team (circa 1940s). The ball park became part of present day Jennie Dean Park. Jennie Serepta Dean, the namesake of the park, was a former enslaved person who founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth.
Children also enjoyed informal recreational activities such as roller skating (circa 1950).
The Veterans Memorial YMCA was dedicated in 1949. The "Y" (Macedonia Baptist Church Family Life Center as of 2020) featured a 25-meter swimming pool and other recreational facilities. It provided one of the only opportunities for African American children to go swimming, as they were not allowed at neighboring pools.
Pictured here are the Miss Recreation pageant contestants of 1959. Pageant contestants, from left to right, are Miss Hoffman-Boston, Miss Jennie Dean, Miss Barnard, and Miss Langston.
Living and Learning
African American residents struggled through segregation and also faced challenges during the integration of Arlington Public Schools. Therefore, leaders sought solutions to accommodate the increasing population as schools and housing were insufficient.
In 1876, the Arlington School District established Kemper School No. 4. The Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church housed the first classes until the school district built a one-room school in 1885. Multiple buildings housed the Kemper School including the 1925 building shown above.
Ada S. Gray (daughter of Thornton and Selina Gray), one of the first teachers at Kemper School, instructed her students in all subjects. Born into slavery in 1858 at Arlington House, Gray received part of her education at the Normal Institute, Howard University. She taught at Kemper School from 1876 to 1882.
Arlington Public Schools renamed Kemper Annex as Drew Elementary School in 1953 to honor Dr. Charles Richard Drew, prominent physician and resident of nearby Penrose. The school was renamed in 1971 as Drew Model school and became a County-wide magnet school. In 2000, the school (pictured above in 1996) was demolished for a new community center and school, named Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School in 2019.
Dr. Charles Drew was an African American surgeon and researcher, seen here circa 1940, who organized America's first large-scale blood bank and trained a generation of African American physicians at Howard University.