State Historical Marker to Be Unveiled for Douglas School in Winchester, Va.

Published January 28, 2025

Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(dhr.virginia.gov)
For Immediate Release
January 28, 2025

Contact:
Ivy Tan
Department of Historic Resources
Marketing & Communications Manager
ivy.tan@dhr.virginia.gov
804-482-6445

State Historical Marker to Be Unveiled for Douglas School in Winchester, Va.

—The marker will highlight the history of the school, which opened in 1927 to serve Black students during segregation in Virginia’s public schools—

—Text of marker reproduced below—

PLEASE NOTE: DHR creates markers not to “honor” their subjects but rather to educate and inform the public about a person, place, or event of regional, state, or national importance. In this regard, erected markers are not memorials.

RICHMOND – The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) today announced that a state historical marker will be dedicated this weekend for Douglas School, a school for Black students in the City of Winchester during the era of segregation in Virginia’s public schools. As the city’s only school for African Americans from 1927 to 1966, Douglas School was a pillar of the Black community for many years in the 20th century.

The dedication ceremony will be held Sunday, February 2, starting at 2:30 p.m., at the marker site, in front of the Douglas School building, located on 598 North Kent Street in Winchester (22601). Free parking will be available for guests in the parking lot next to the school building. Guests may also park on the street. The event is free and open to the public.

The dedication program will begin with welcoming remarks and an acknowledgment of the local organizations and individuals who led the efforts to install the Douglas School marker. Judy Humbert, a Douglas School alumna, will read a tribute to the school. Richard Bell, vice president of Winchester City Council, and Sarah Adams Bell, of The Adams Family Foundation, will offer remarks. Kenneth Rutherford, Ph.D., the vice chair of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources, will represent DHR at the dedication. Robert Grogg and Thomas Dixon, a Douglas School alumnus and retired basketball coach for Winchester City Public Schools, will lead the marker unveiling. An open house reception hosted by Winchester City Public Schools will take place in the Douglas School Museum following the ceremony’s conclusion.

Douglas School was Winchester’s public school for Black children during the period of segregation in Virginia’s public school systems in the 20th century. The school began circa 1878 with classes held within the city’s Old Stone Presbyterian Church. In the 1920s, overcrowding led the community to campaign for a better educational facility. Douglas School opened in 1927 for students in grades 1-9. Constructed using state funds and a bequest from John Handley, a Pennsylvania judge, Douglas School was later expanded to include new classrooms, a library, and a gymnasium/cafeteria. By 1952, the school offered a full 12 grades and became a regional high school with students attending from nearby counties. School, church, and civic programs held at Douglas School made it the center of the Black community in Winchester, which desegregated its schools in 1966. The Douglas School building was renovated in 2022 for use as school district offices and a museum.

The Virginia Board of Historic Resources, which is authorized to designate new state historical markers, approved the manufacture and installation of the marker for Douglas School in June 2024. The Winchester–Frederick County Historical Society, the sponsor of the marker, oversaw the financial transaction related to its installation. The Adams Family Foundation covered the marker’s manufacturing cost. The Local Black History Task Force prepared the application for the marker and organized the marker dedication event.

Virginia’s historical highway marker program began in 1927 with installation of the first markers along U.S. Route 1. It is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Currently there are more than 2,600 state markers, mostly maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOT’s authority.

Full Text of Marker:

Douglas School

Douglas School, Winchester’s public school for Black children, originated ca. 1878 with classes in the Old Stone Church. In the 1920s, overcrowding prompted citizens to campaign for better facilities. Built with state funds and a bequest from John Handley, the new Douglas School opened here in 1927 to serve grades 1–9. The building, later enlarged, offered a full 12 grades by 1952 and became a regional high school with students from nearby counties. School, church, and civic programs held here put Douglas at the center of Black community life. Winchester desegregated its schools in 1966. Renovations completed in 2022 prepared the building for use as school district offices and a museum.

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