Dumas Hotel — Where Black Travelers Could Stay

The Dumas Hotel was listed in the Green Book, the travel guide that told Black Americans where they could safely eat and sleep. It was one of the few places in Roanoke where Black travelers were welcome during segregation. Jazz musicians performing in segregated valley venues stayed here. The hotel was located on Henry Street, the heart of Roanoke's historic Black business district. The building still stands, a reminder of what separate-but-equal actually looked like. It is visible from the street, best combined with a visit to the Harrison Museum nearby.