In the past few years, several southern cities are moving forward from their racist histories in part by examining the namesakes of their institutions. In Charlottesville, it’s personal. Many of the descendants of those who suffered injustices from slavery to segregation live here, as do the descendants of those for whom our public schools, roads and buildings are named. How do we move forward together?
Join the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society and Charlottesville Tomorrow for a conversation about how we understand history, and the people whose names are given to our buildings and organizations. Reporter Tamica Jean-Charles will be in conversation with Chuck Moran, whose great aunt was a namesake of Burnley-Moran Elementary School, and Karen Waters, director of community education at Albemarle County Public Schools, and Lorenzo Dickerson, local storyteller and documentary filmmaker who helped identify and commemorate the first 26 African American students to desegregate Albemarle County Schools.
The panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 5:30 p.m in the Swanson Room on the third floor of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Central Branch in downtown Charlottesville.
There will be light refreshments and Charlottesville Tomorrow swag available. RSVPs are helpful but not required to attend. Here is where you can RSVP.
Street parking is available, but limited on surrounding blocks. The Historical Society can offer parking vouchers for those who need to park in the Market Street Parking Garage (546 E Market St.) three blocks away. For accessibility, use the ramp on the 2nd Street and Market Street corner of the library and take the elevator to the third floor.
Here’s more about renaming institutions.
Four Albemarle schools might keep their names, yet the fate of two other schools remains uncertain
“Even if you name something after an exemplary individual, it shouldn’t necessarily be in perpetuity,” Board member Kate Acuff said.
With new construction underway, Charlottesville School Board quickly renames Buford to Charlottesville Middle School
Buford will be the third Charlottesville City School to be renamed.
The great nephew of one of the Burnley-Moran Elementary School namesakes defends his aunt’s legacy
Sarepta Moran was a white elementary school principal during segregation and a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, but her nephew says that doesn’t mean she was racist.
Charlottesville City Schools asked students to rename their elementary schools — but officials are having second thoughts
Students voted to rename Venable as “Trailblazers” and Clark as “Friendship.”
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After two years without independent counsel, Charlottesville’s police oversight board has an attorney to represent its interests to the city
New counsel will review suggested ordinance changes that will shape the Board’s role before a planned meeting with City Council.
Charlottesville city officials promise not to displace unhoused community members during an encampment cleanup effort this week
Citing public health, safety and environmental concerns, city staff and a local landscaping company will clean up trash and install portable toilets and sharps disposal containers at the site Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25.
In Orange and Louisa, residents and public officials voice concerns over proposed Valley Link transmission line
Residents are speaking out about potential negative impacts on homes and farmland, and many local governments are finding their influence is limited, as the fate of the project rests with state regulators.
The Prolyfyck crew is growing — in the next 20 years, its leader wants to show up for the neighborhoods where they run
James “Littlez” Dowell co-founded Prolyfyck Run Creww as a way to bring communities together through fitness. But now it’s so much more.
