Before the Civil War, most African Americans entered Western Virginia as enslaved people, although some towns, such as Charles Town, had sizeable free Black populations.

Slavery was not widespread in what would become West Virginia, with about 20,500 enslaved people in 1850, making up 6.8% of the population. Slavery was mainly concentrated in valleys such as the Shenandoah, Kanawha, and Greenbrier, and on large farms tending livestock. In the Kanawha Valley, some enslaved men worked in salt production and coal mining, which was rare elsewhere.

During the Civil War, many enslaved people gained freedom, either by escaping or fleeing to Union-held areas. West Virginia became a state during the Civil War when it separated from Virginia, but it wasn't yet become a major refuge for Black people. Slavery ended in 1865, and Black men gained the right to vote, but racial segregation and inequality continued. As the coal industry grew, many African Americans moved here for work, building strong communities despite facing racism, including lynchings, prejudice, and other unfair treatment. Some held public office in places with larger Black populations, and Black schools and colleges were created.

After World War II, jobs became harder for African Americans to find as machines replaced many coal mining jobs, and Blacks were often the first to be laid off. School integration in the 1950s and 1960s led to the closure of Black schools. Economic struggles pushed many Black people to leave West Virginia, but some stayed behind, continuing to build and support their communities.