Bill Text: VA HR82 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Douglas Alumni Association.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-02-12 - Bill text as passed House (HR82ER) [HR82 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HR82-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Douglas Alumni Association, a nonprofit organization composed of alumni of the historic Douglas School in Winchester, was instrumental in preserving and honoring the history of African Americans in Winchester through its efforts to establish the Douglas School museum; and
WHEREAS, after years of petitioning the Winchester school board for a better facility to educate the Black students of Winchester, the Douglas School was moved to a new building on North Kent Street in 1927; from then until the integration of Winchester Public Schools in 1966, the building served as the school for Black students in the Winchester area; and
WHEREAS, listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, the Douglas School subsequently served as an intermediate school, elementary school, and community center before becoming offices for Winchester Public Schools administration in 2022; and
WHEREAS, to ensure that the legacy of the Douglas School would be understood and appreciated by future generations, members of the Douglas Alumni Association advocated for dedicating part of the building to a museum about the school's history; and
WHEREAS, members of the Douglas Alumni Association were involved in the museum at every stage of its development, including by collecting artifacts for display and by advising the curatorial decisions for the museum's gallery spaces; and
WHEREAS, the information and signage at the Douglas School museum are largely based off the book History of Douglas School–Winchester, Virginia: A Tribute to Endurance, Belief, Perseverance, and Success by Douglas Alumni Association members Judy Humbert and June Gaskins-Davis; in 2023, Judy Humbert was recognized by the Winchester Branch of the American Association of University Women as its Woman of the Year; and
WHEREAS, the Douglas Alumni Association's accomplishments were the result of the tireless devotion of Douglas School alumni, including Carmen Crawford, Tommy Dixon, Sandra Finley, Charles Harris, Sharon Harris, and Judy Humbert; community members such as Becky Ebert; and Winchester Public Schools staff, including Maggie McCampbell Lien, Ed Smith, Clarence Smith, and Veronique N. Walker; and
WHEREAS, the Douglas Alumni Association has helped to create a meaningful place that students and members of the community may visit to reflect on the history of African Americans in Winchester and the role that the Douglas School played in the life and culture of the city in the 20th century; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Douglas Alumni Association hereby be commended for preserving and honoring the history of African Americans in Winchester through its efforts to establish the Douglas School museum; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Douglas Alumni Association as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for its contributions to Winchester and the Commonwealth.
