R.R. Moton High School
Farmville, Virginia
— Prince Edward County —
On this site of the former R.R. Moton High School, the actions of many brave African American students to achieve equal educational opportunities for Blacks eventually led to the end of legal segregation in American public schools.
Moton High was built to house 180 Black students. On April 23, 1951, it held 450 (more than double its capacity), with some classes conducted in tar paper "shacks," resulting in a student walk-out protesting the unequal facilities, course offerings, and buses. Within weeks, the students sought legal redress of their grievances. The NAACP agreed to support a lawsuit for school integration, believing that goal to be in the best interest of the community. The subsequent case, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 in its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which stated that "in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place." A second Brown-related decision in 1955 mandated that integration be achieved "with all deliberate speed."
Rather than integrate its public schools, Prince Edward County withheld funds for all public education. As a result, all of the county's public schools were closed from 1959 to 1964, when the Supreme Court ruled in Griffin v.
this page online
Today, Prince Edward's fully integrated public schools bear the legacy of a fight for civil rights in education that began here with a courageous, nonviolent act by a group of high school students, resulting in three historic U.S. Supreme Court rulings. In 1998 the site was designated a National Historic Landmark. In 2001, it formally opened as a museum.
Erected by Civil Rights in Education Heritage Trail. (Marker Number PE4.)
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 National Historic Landmarks series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is April 23, 1951.
Location. 37° 17.498′ N, 78° 23.871′ W. Marker is in Farmville, Virginia, in Prince Edward County. Marker is at the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and Barrow Street, on the right when traveling north on Griffin Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 901 S Main St, Farmville VA 23901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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 Timeline (within shouting
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker which had different formatting and content.
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 126 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
