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

Lylburn Downing School

Photographed by J. J. Prats, September 25, 2022

1. Lylburn Downing School Marker

Inscription. Lylburn Downing School opened here in 1927 after the Home and School League, an organization of local Black parents and citizens. campaigned for equitable schools. Built with financial support from the Black community. Rockbridge County, and the Rosenwald Fund, the countywide school first served grades 1-9 and expanded to include a high school in the 1940s. Desegregation closed the original edifice in 1965, but the newer buildings became Lexington’s middle school. Lylburn Downing (1862-1937) was born enslaved in Lexington, attend- ed Lincoln University, and was pastor of Roanoke’s Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church for more than 40 years. He was a longtime advocate for African American education.

Erected 2021 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number I-27.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the Rosenwald Schools series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.

Location. 37° 47.178′ N, 79° 26.1′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Diamond Street

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and Maury Street, on the left when traveling east on Diamond Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Diamond Street, Lexington VA 24450, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

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: P. Wesley Foster, Jr. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Virginia Military Institute (approx. ¼ mile away); The Knights of Pythias Building (approx. ¼ mile away); The Diamond Hill Neighborhood (approx. ¼ mile away); The Hall-Poindexter House (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named Virginia Military Institute (approx. ¼ mile away); Virginia Mourning Her Dead (approx. ¼ mile away); General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.

Lylburn Downing School and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J. J. Prats, September 25, 2022

2. Lylburn Downing School and Marker

(approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Virginia Military Institute (was approx. ¼ mile away but has been permanently removed).

Regarding Lylburn Downing School. The building is now the City of Lexington’s Office on Youth.

Also see . . . Dedication ceremony held for Lylburn Downing School historic marker in Lexington. News segment and article by Will Thomas dated June 19, 2022 reporting on the dedication ceremony for this historical marker. Excerpt:

Former students were also in attendance for the special day. That includes Louise Mikell, who graduated from Lylburn Downing in 1947 and taught there from 1954 to 1959.

“There’s a lot of information on here about the community itself really, and what the people were about and what the people thought about education for their children, the Black children of this little town,” said Mikell.

(Submitted on October 13, 2022.)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 410 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 13, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.