We, the undersigned, parents, guardians, family members, alumni, community members, teachers, staff, students, and concerned citizens think it is past time to rename Benjamin Grayson Orr Elementary School ( Orr Elementary), a DC Public School, located in Ward 8, that bears the names of a slave owner who leased one of his slaves to the US Secretary of State for $250.00.  We strongly agree the new name should be Marion S. Barry Elementary School.

Across the nation, schools where a majority of Black students attend are named for slave owning persons.  Why should any student and especially Black students be forced to attend schools named for slave owners?   Orr Elementary, officially named Benjamin Grayson Orr Elementary School, is located 3 miles from the White House in the nations capitol of the United States of America. Benjamin Grayson Orr was the fourth ‘appointed' Mayor of Washington in 1817 and a slave owner.  We strongly move to rename Benjamin Grayson Orr to Marion S. Barry Elementary School. 

On July 27th, 1801, Benjamin Grayson Orr, leased his slave named Plato to the Secretary of State of the United States of America: James Madison, for $250.00. 

The following is located in the National Archives, through its National Historical Publications and Records Commission:  "It is agreed by the parties subscribing vizt. James Madison & Benjn G. Orr, that Plato the slave of the said Orr is to serve the said Madison for five years from this date during which time the said Orr nor any other person in his or any other right but his the said Madison, Shall exercise any Kind of rights ownership or controul over the said Plato, who is to be & remain for the term of years aforesaid in the service subject to the orders, & under the direction in every respect of the said Madison, as fully & completely as if he was his own Slave & property during his Natural life.  In consideration whereof the said Madison is to pay to the said Orr or to his order within ninety days of this date two hundred & fifty Dollars.  http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/02-01-02-0625

In 1801 Madison was president Thomas Jefferson’s Secretary of State; he became president in 1809 till 1817. He died in 1836 owning approx. 100 slaves, and didn’t free none of them. 

The Ward 8, Orr Elementary School is celebrating 114 years this school year.  The official name is Benjamin Grayson Orr Elementary School. Orr was built in 1902; a White only school at its current location in the Fairlawn community.  It was built 34 years before Anacostia SHS and 45 years before Kramer MS. Orr was demolished in 1974 and built at the same location as a open plan format school: "Orr, like most open plan schools have serious design and operational problems. They were designed to be energy efficient, foster team teaching, serve large student populations, be highly efficient since there were few corridors, and contain spaces and amenities to make them centers of communities.”

Today, this vibrant PreK- 5th grade school exceeds enrollment figures and currently has 402+ enrolled students.  Student satisfaction is at an all-time high of 87% and i-ready testing scores exceeded the District's average.  

Help us rename this Ward 8 school to honor a person who beat the odds: from picking cotton to mayor of the nations capital. That’s inspiring! And our children deserve to be inspired daily by the name of their school.