Learn about the triumphs and hardships of 150 years of Hokie history. Our digital exhibits present a fascinating array of historical documents, images, and stories that inspire informed reflection on the Hokie past, present, and future.
SOLITUDE
THE HEART OF VIRGINIA TECH HISTORY
Explore the many layers of Virginia Tech’s history at Solitude, the oldest building on campus. Learn about the generations of people who have shaped this place, from indigenous land to slave plantation to university building.
Against the backdrop of national struggles over Civil Rights and the Vietnam War, Hokies fought their own battles on campus. Learn about protests on the drillfield, cadet-civilian tensions, and the student occupation of Williams Hall that led to more than 100 arrests.
Discover the hidden histories of Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color at Virginia Tech, including students from Asia and Latin America in the mid-twentieth century and the pioneering Black women who became Hokie students, staff, and faculty following the Civil Rights movement.
For one hundred years, the women of Virginia Tech have claimed spaces, blazed trails, and forged new paths to advancement. Learn about the “first five,” the significance of Hillcrest Hall as a space that women on campus could call their own, and the experiences of countless Hokie women whose contributions have helped make Virginia Tech the institution it is today.
Since they began to attend in 1953, Black students have worked to turn Virginia Tech into the home they were promised. From fighting for the right to live on campus to founding predominantly black organizations, these Black students have worked to transform the Hokie community.
