Superpowers: Compassion, problem-solving, and strength from the Lord
Board Member, Greenbrier Historical Society
After retiring from a successful career that took her to New York City and Atlanta, Georgia, Janice Cooley is back where she started—at home. As former president and current board member of the Greenbrier Historical Society, she has dedicated this chapter of her life to shining a light on those who may have otherwise been forgotten.
When Cooley arrived back in Lewisburg for retirement, she was eager to reacquaint herself with her hometown’s history. But she was surprised at the lack of awareness of the African American communities that had been part of the county for generations. Her solution? “I decided I was going to create an exhibit that would highlight the African Americans who had contributed to the growth and development of Greenbrier County,” she says.
Her exhibit—Invisible Roots and Legends, eventually merged into the Echoes of Slavery exhibit—led the Greenbrier Historical Society to ask her to join its board. It was an opportunity she gladly took, as long as she could place her exhibit in the museum. Since then, it’s gone through many iterations, and Cooley’s work hasn’t stopped there. She’s working on a new exhibit that spotlights the working class of western Greenbrier County, where the coal, timber, and railroad industries have historically been bolstered by generational West Virginia families as well as immigrants from other countries and African Americans leaving the South. She takes a similar curriculum into schools and often performs a portrayal of a real-life former slave, bringing folks an intimate view at the experiences of African Americans in the area.
All of Cooley’s work aims to show people that, even amidst our differences, we share a common history. “Racism is born out of ignorance—generational ignorance that almost gets into our DNA,” she says. “I wanted to do something that was going to inspire people enough to take a look at something in a different way, learn from it, and say, ‘Well, I didn’t know that.’”
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER 2026 WEST VIRGINIA WONDER WOMEN
Learn more about our Wonder Women
Since 2014 WV Living magazine has been honoring West Virginia Wonder Women, amazing women who are raising the bar in their communities, serving as beacons of light in their industries, and forcing change for the greater good. WV Living is proud to celebrate these Appalachian mothers, millennials, and mavens proving that in a time full of uncertainty, divisiveness, and hate, love for one another is all we really need. No need for bulletproof bracelets or a golden lasso of truth—these women are creating a better West Virginia with their can-do attitudes and Mountain State spirit.
Leave a Reply