From Hate to Hope in Colonial Williamsburg

ByOlivia Bada

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Master Hand Engraver C. Lynn Zelesnikar at work in the engraving shop working on a plaque made from the melted-down brass doorstops from the Inn. This plaque is to be presented to the First Baptist Church.

The Williamsburg Inn, the famed luxury hotel in Colonial Williamsburg that regularly plays host to celebrities and royalty (including Queen Elizabeth II, twice), recently discovered that many of its elegant doors were being propped open by brass “doormen” that depict crude racial stereotypes of African Americans. But rather than simply throwing the heavy doorstops on the scrap heap of history, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which owns and operates the hotel along with three others, decided to turn the doorstops into something “teachable and affirmative” by melting them down and recasting the brass into a plaque bearing the words from an iconic speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. …

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From Making History Now 

Author

  • bada

    Olivia Bada is one of the driving forces behind WilliamsburgFamilies.com, a trusted resource for locals and visitors alike. With over 14 years of experience curating the best family-friendly events, activities, and attractions in Williamsburg, VA, Olivia has become a trusted writer in the community. Her passion for connecting families to their local area is evident in the comprehensive guides, event listings, and reviews she shares on the site. She shares information on local events including Colonial Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Water Country USA, Jamestown Settlement, Historic Yorktown, American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, New Town, Merchants Square, York River State Park, Chippokes State Park and Yorktown Battlefield View all posts CEO

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