She Fought for Equal Access

She Fought for Equal Access. . , Lucretia Kennard was a woman who knew how to make a difference., Arriving in Queen Anne's County in 1903, she was appalled by the poor quality of education for black students. In those days, schools were segregated by race, the only books were those discarded by the white schools, and high school was simply unavailable to the black population. As County Supervisor of Colored Schools, Kennard dedicated her life to changing the situation., Remembering Her Dream , Though she was successful in raising money to purchase land to build a black high school, Kennard died before her dream became a reality., In 1936, Centreville's high school for black students, named Kennard High School in her honor, was ready to open. It took another thirty years for the county to integrate its schools and provide equal services for all students, regardless of color., For Future Generations , After integration, the building fell into disrepair. A committed group of alumni has worked hard to create a community arts center for Queen Anne's County. This ongoing, massive restoration project is a testament to the power of community and heritage preservation.