Dillwyn in Buckingham County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Buckingham Training School
Dillwyn, Virginia
Buckingham County
The Buckingham Training School sits on 9.25 acres and was established as a result of Stephen J. Ellis' longtime efforts to establish a secondary school for African American students in the Buckingham County area. Ellis first organized the County-wide League for School Improvement to lobby the school board to construct the school. After little success or support from the school board, Ellis embarked on a funding campaign within the local community. His efforts secured a grant from the Julius Rosenwald Fund. Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck, and Co. helped pay for the construction of more than 5,000 schools for African Americans in 15 Southern states, with more than 350 of them in Virginia.
Completed in 1923, the original school building featured a four-room design for graded classes. Thomas L. Dabney served as the first principal. The campus served as the only secondary school for African American students in Buckingham County until 1954. Although the school started with modest enrollment, it had expanded to include a vocational shop to help teach the trades. The persistence and dedication of the African American
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In 1954, the Buckingham Training School closed after the construction of the Carter G. Woodson High School for African Americans. Renamed Stephen J. Ellis Elementary School, the campus reopened in 1963 when racial integration paved the way for consolidation of Buckingham County's schools.
Erected by Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail. (Marker Number BK2.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. In addition, it is included in the Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail, and the Rosenwald Schools series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1923.
Location. 37° 32.236′ N, 78° 27.777′ W. Marker is in Dillwyn, Virginia, in Buckingham County. Marker can be reached from Camden Street (Virginia Route 1001) 0.1 miles south of Hancock Street (Virginia Route 1001), on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 245 Camden St, Dillwyn VA 23936, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ellis Acres Park (a few steps from this marker); Gold Mines (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Buckingham Training School
Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on September 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 199 times since then and 52 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 6, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
