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On April 3rd, 1974, a tornado touched down in Greene County.In the years since much attention has been paid to the impact on Xenia. But the neighboring town of Wilberforce was also hit hard. That includes the town's two HBCUs, Central State and Wilberforce Universities.The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce is working with the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO during the spring of 2024 to gather and broadcast oral histories of the 1974 disaster.

PHOTOS: Newly digitized images from the 1974 Greene County tornado

Busted out windows and other damage at Central Junior High School in Xenia after the 1974 tornado
Thorton Family
/
The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
Busted out windows and other damage at Central Junior High School in Xenia after the 1974 tornado

The photos come from the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce's community scanning day event last month.

Damage to the Burger Chef in Xenia after the 1974 tornado
Thorton Family
/
The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
Damage to the Burger Chef in Xenia after the 1974 tornado

Staff digitized images of the area from before, during, and after the disaster.

Detroit street in Xenia after the tornado
Detroit street in Xenia after the tornado
Detroit street in Xenia after the tornado

Contact infoNAAMCC@ohiohistory.org, call 937-376-4944 ext. 0 to get in touch if you have photos you'd like to share with the museum, or fill out the online questionnaire.

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