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In the early twentieth century, Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington partnered to build 4978 schools in the nation's southern states. The "Rosenwald" schools were instrumental and raising the education level and contributing to black literacy at a time when the nation was ruled by "separate but equal." Former pupils of the Rosenwald schools, after benefiting from that education, are demonstrating resilience by returning to the schools and participating in efforts to restore the buildings and preserve the legacy. The three panelists for this Porch Talk are former Rosenwald pupils who are active in the restoration of their former schoolhouses and will discuss their experience as a pupil and their current restoration efforts.

Biographies

Deborah O. Billups, MS Ed (Old Dominion University), is a native of Gloucester County. She retired with over 30 years of service as a Department of the Army Civilian working in support of Soldier training and education worldwide. She currently volunteers with the Woodville Rosenwald Foundation, serving as the lead for the Descendant's Community Committee. She also volunteers with the Gloucester Museum Foundation and the Gloucester 250th Committee.

Nadine Armstrong is a native of Fluvanna County and attended the West View School in 1954. Nadine left the United States when her father joined the military and was stationed in Germany. Nadine graduated high school in Kauerslauten, Germany, before returning to Fluvanna County and settling down with her own family. She graduated from Piedmont Virginia Community College with degrees in Police Science and Administration of Justice. Nadine was the 1st Black Female Driver for the Fluvanna County Volunteer Rescue Squad. She is active with the only remaining Rosenwald school in Fluvanna County, the Dunbar School. It is currently being restored and is used to house different artifacts highlighting Fluvanna's rich black history and is also used as a community meeting space. Nadine's oral history is currently featured in the exhibit "A Better Life for Their Children - Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington and the 4978 Schools That Changed America" at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond, Virginia.

MICHAEL D. SCALES (MS Ed in Adult Education & Development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) is a native and recently returning resident of Cumberland County, Virginia. He began his education in 1959 by enrolling in the 1st grade at the segregated Rosenwald (Booker T.) Washington school called Pine Grove (Elementary) School. Upon becoming a totally integrated county-wide public school system in 1969, Michael became the 1st African-American President of the junior class and the next year the President of the senior class in the history of Cumberland High School. After high school graduation, Michael in 1971 enrolled at Bridgewater College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Political Science with a supplemental high school teaching certification in 1975. Immediately upon graduating, Michael was offered and became the 1st African-American Admissions Counselor & College Recruiter ever for Bridgewater College. After retiring from a 40-year career as a high school history/government/Spanish teacher, Michael returned to his native Cumberland in 2017. That same year he became a member the AMMD Pine Grove (School) Project in its 1st year of organization, with its primary mission being the preserving, restoring, and promoting of the structure as well as the legacy of this de-commissioned Rosenwald-(Booker T.) Washington school as founded / led by President Emeritus Rev. Muriel Miller-Branch (also a native of Cumberland County and alumni of Pine Grove School). Through the efforts of this community organization, Pine Grove School has since been designated as a State and National Historic Landmark and has been afforded a historical road marker by the State of Virginia. The AMMD Pine Grove Project continues with plans for community historical preservation and community empowerment. Michael was recently selected by the AMMD Pine Grove School Project to be a part of the exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Cultures entitled "A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T Washington, and the 4978 Schools That Changed America." 

Moderator: Tonia Merideth, MA (Sam Houston State University) is the Oral Historian of the Williams & Mary Bray School Lab. She is creating an archive of oral histories with the descendant community, restoration specialists, exhibit designers, historic interpreters and members of the Bray School Board and Advisory Council to capture and preserve the legacy of the Williamsburg Bray School and other cultural and historical assets. Tonia was introduced to oral history work as an intern at the African American Library at the Gregory School in Houston, TX. She also gained experience working with the descendant communities at historic sites in Houston's Fourth Ward, including Olivewood Cemetery and the Rutherford B. H. Yates Museum. In 2019, these sites were recognized by UNESCO and placed on their Slave Route Project. Tonia recently created 10 oral history interviews with former pupils of Virginia Rosenwald schools that are currently part of the exhibit, "A Better Life for Their Children - Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington and the 4978 Schools That Changed America" at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture through April 2025.

Image credit: Pine Grove, Cumberland County. Photo by Niya Bates, 2019. https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/024-5082/

Sponsored by: The Lemon Project

Contact

lemon@wm.edu, Dr. Sarah Thomas

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