Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Key Road School
Key Road School, which had opened by 1921 and served African American children in grades 1-7, moved into a new building here ca. 1926-27. Financial contributions for the two-teacher school came from the Black community, Norfolk County, and the Rosenwald Fund. This fund, which emerged from a partnership between philanthropist Julius Rosenwald and educator Booker T. Washington, helped construct about 5,000 schools for African Americans across the South. The City of Portsmouth annexed this area in 1948, and the school closed in 1965. In 1972 the Olympian Sports Club moved its headquarters here. This organization, established in 1955, has supported young athletes in the region.
Erected 2023 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Q-83.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Education • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Rosenwald Schools, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.
Location. 36° 48.932′ N, 76° 20.414′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is on Portsmouth Boulevard (Route 337) near Truxton Avenue, on the left when
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Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. 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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Portsmouth* Gothic (within shouting distance of this marker); Mount Calvary Cemetery Complex (approx. 1.3 miles away); Sailors and Marines Memorial (approx. 1.4 miles away); Cradock Historic District (approx. 1.6 miles away); Cradock Volunteer Fire Department WWII Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away); The War Dead of Norfolk County (approx. 1.6 miles away); 1918 - Cradock Established (approx. 1.7 miles away); 1920-1929 (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 5, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
