Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Oliver White Hill Sr.

(1907 - 2007)

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2021

1. Oliver White Hill Sr. Marker

Inscription. On behalf of local plaintiffs, civil rights attorney Oliver White Hill Sr. and law partners Martin A. Martin and Spottswood Robinson III filed Davis v. Prince Edward in 1951 to challenge racial segregation in public schools. This case, along with several others consolidated into Brown v. Board, led to the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision declaring public school segregation unconstitutional. Defying a desegregation order in 1959, Prince Edward County closed its public schools. Hill and NAACP leaders Roy Wilkins and L. Francis Griffin led a rally at the county courthouse in 1961 denouncing the closings. Schools reopened in 1964 as ordered by the Supreme Court in Griffin v. Prince Edward.

Erected 2008 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number M-36.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1951.

Location. 37° 17.464′ N, 78° 23.856′ W. Marker is in Farmville, Virginia, in Prince Edward

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County. It is at the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and South Main Street (Business U.S. 15), on the right when traveling north on Griffin Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 900 Griffin Blvd, Farmville VA 23901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Piedmont,

in Southside Virginia,

and specifically in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Barbara Rose Johns (within shouting distance of this marker); Robert Russa Moton High School (within shouting distance of this marker); 1951 Student Walk-Out (within shouting distance of this marker); R.R. Moton High School (within shouting distance of this marker);

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 22, 2021

2. Oliver White Hill Sr. Marker

Robert Russa Moton High School Timeline (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Martha E. Forrester (approx. 0.4 miles away); Longwood College (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named First Baptist Church (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Farmville.

Other markers no longer nearby. R. R. Moton High School (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Longwood University (was approx. 0.6 miles away but has been confirmed missing); Farmville Female Seminary Association (was approx. 0.7 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); First Baptist Church (was approx. 0.7 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Additional keywords. "Massive Resistance"

Credits. This page was last revised on April 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 308 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.