"A Place For Us" is an inspiring and historical account of how a small group of educators altered the futures of hundreds of students by developing a camp that focused on youth empowerment and leadership. By utilizing student organizations and agricultural studies, barriers were torn down, and history was made. The development of the J.R. Thomas Camp was accomplished during the era of segregation that limited minority opportunities.

"A Place For Us" is an inspiring and historical account of how a small group of educators altered the futures of hundreds of students by developing a camp that focused on youth empowerment and leadership. By utilizing student organizations and agricultural studies, barriers were torn down, and history was made. The development of the J.R. Thomas Camp was accomplished during the era of segregation that limited minority opportunities. During the days of segregation in the late 1930s, there was little thought of improving educational and social opportunities for minority youth within the Commonwealth of Virginia. However, through the vision and persistence of a small group of African American educators, an organization was founded that offered opportunities similar to those of the agriculture and home economic enrichment programs of the early 1920s. The J.R. Thomas Camp shaped the lives of many, and this book shares the unforgettable story of its origins.

Phylis Jones Adams of Falls Church, Virginia is a graduate of Virginia State University. She was one of many students who attended the J. R. Thomas Camp during the 1960s. As an educator, she encourages her students to participate in similar enrichment and leadership organizations, as they were instrumental in shaping her future.