Petersburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia

Petersburg, Virginia

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 21, 2021

1. Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia Marker

Inscription.

Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia. Petersburg, Virginia. , Petersburg established a public school system in 1868, two years before the state's mandate. Colored Elementary School #1 (as it was called) was conducted in the old church building of the African Baptist Church, which stood to your left. The building had been moved to this site in the 1830s from Bolling Hill, where it had served in the 1820s both as a church and as one of the earliest organized schools for African Americans in Petersburg. A second story was constructed to accommodate the opening in January 1870 of high school. This was reputedly the first African American public high school in the state. Maj. Giles B. Cook, who had acted as General Robert E. Lee's staff officer during the Siege of Petersburg, served as the school's first principal., By 1874 this school had expanded so much that it required the construction of a new building in the space in front of you, facing Fillmore Street, still accommodating both the elementary and the high school. Since both schools had been funded using the George Peabody Fund money, the new school was called the Peabody School. As a result of repeated petitions by the Rev. Henry Williams of Gillfield Baptist Church and others, African Americans were appointed as administrators and teachers in the African American schools in Petersburg for the first time during the 1882-83 school year. The first of these appointments was Alfred Pryor as principal of the Peabody School. Due to growing inadequacies, the school was moved to a substantially larger new building on Jones Street in 1920. For several years the old building served as an armory, but it was eventually demolished to make way for the new Anna P. Bolling Junior High School. Built for white students, the school opened in its present-day building in 1926. Court-ordered integration in 1971 led to the closing of Anna Bolling in 1974, which now houses apartments for the elderly., [Captions:] , In 1870 the Old African Church was renovated and housed both an elementary school and the first public high school for African Americans in Virginia., Walter C. Holmes (1884-1963) graduated from Peabody High School in 1901. He is pictured wearing his graduation pin. His father, James Meredith Bolling Holmes (1844-1923), was the first Black letter carrier in Petersburg., Maj. Giles B. Cook, the first principal (from 1868 to 1871) of the earliest known public high school for African Americans in Virginia and its associated elementary school.

Petersburg established a public school system in 1868, two years before the state's mandate. Colored Elementary School #1 (as it was called) was conducted in the old church building of the African Baptist Church, which stood to your left. The building had been moved to this site in the 1830s from Bolling Hill, where it had served in the 1820s both as a church and as one of the earliest organized schools for African Americans in Petersburg. A second story was constructed to accommodate the opening in January 1870 of high school. This was reputedly the first African American public high school in the state. Maj. Giles B. Cook, who had acted as General Robert E. Lee's staff officer during the Siege of Petersburg, served as the school's first principal.

By 1874 this school had expanded so much that it required the construction of a new building in the space in front of you, facing Fillmore Street, still accommodating both the elementary and the high school. Since both schools had been funded using the George Peabody Fund money, the new school was called the Peabody School. As a result of repeated petitions by the Rev. Henry Williams of Gillfield Baptist Church and others, African Americans were appointed as administrators and teachers in the African American schools in Petersburg for the first time during the 1882-83

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school year. The first of these appointments was Alfred Pryor as principal of the Peabody School. Due to growing inadequacies, the school was moved to a substantially larger new building on Jones Street in 1920. For several years the old building served as an armory, but it was eventually demolished to make way for the new Anna P. Bolling Junior High School. Built for white students, the school opened in its present-day building in 1926. Court-ordered integration in 1971 led to the closing of Anna Bolling in 1974, which now houses apartments for the elderly.

[Captions:]
In 1870 the Old African Church was renovated and housed both an elementary school and the first public high school for African Americans in Virginia.

Walter C. Holmes (1884-1963) graduated from Peabody High School in 1901. He is pictured wearing his graduation pin. His father, James Meredith Bolling Holmes (1844-1923), was the first Black letter carrier in Petersburg.

Maj. Giles B. Cook, the first principal (from 1868 to 1871) of the earliest known public high school for African Americans in Virginia and its associated elementary school.

Erected by Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail. (Marker Number PB1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 21, 2021

2. Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia Marker

• Civil Rights • Education • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1870.

Location. 37° 13.314′ N, 77° 24.177′ W. Marker is in Petersburg, Virginia. It is on Harrison Street just north of West Fillmore Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 328 Harrison St, Petersburg VA 23803, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

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: Peabody High School (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Baptist Church (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named First Baptist Church (about 500 feet away); The Site of McCabe's University School (about 500 feet away); Lafayette's Tour (about 600 feet away); Poplar Lawn (about 600 feet away); Confederate Hospital (about 600 feet away); McKenney House (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Petersburg.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Earliest Known Public High School for African Americans in Virginia (has been replaced with this marker).

Related marker.

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Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,138 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 22, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.