In the Williamsburg area, the names of James Blair Middle and Magruder Elementary schools are daily reminders of the legacy of slavery. Blair was not only an enslaver but a fierce supporter of institutionalized slavery in Virginia, and Confederate General John B. Magruder fought to defend slavery and ordered the infamous "Burning of Hampton," targeting those who had escaped slavery.

 

 

 

 

These school names were dedicated, like many others, as part of racist efforts following the Civil War to disenfranchise and terrorize the Black community. Magruder Elementary was named in 1920 during the Jim Crow Era, and James Blair Middle was named in 1954 during the segregationist "Massive Resistance" to the civil rights movement.

The names of Blair and Magruder contradict the values of equity and inclusion at the heart of our school divisions. School names shape every student's educational experience, greeting them every time they arrive for class. These names should project compassion and community, not cruelty and exploitation.

That's why we are calling on the Williamsburg-James City County and York County school divisions to rename James Blair Middle and Magruder Elementary. Before it was a middle school, James Blair was a high school where the first integrated class of 1969 graduated. We should be celebrating this history with a name like Madeline Gee, the first Black teacher at the school and a beloved community leader, or Reverend James B. Tabb, Sr., the president of the NAACP at the time of integration.

 

 

 

 

York County school policy states that schools should be named after places, not people, and school administration has defended the name "Magruder" previously, claiming it's in reference to the Magruder area of Williamsburg. However, the 1954 Daily Press clipping above proves that the school was in fact named after the Confederate General, and it's likely the Magruder area was named after him as well. The area around the elementary school is referred to by many locals as "East Williamsburg." We should give it a name that better reflects that community, like "Bruton," the name of the nearby high school.

Please join us in demanding that James Blair Middle and Magruder Elementary be renamed! Community opposition to these school names has been on the rise over the past few years and this year they were the subject of a panel at the Lemon Project Symposium at the College of William & Mary. The NAACP recently sued the Shenandoah County school board for restoring Confederate names to its schools. Let's ensure the Williamsburg community is on the right side of history! No child should have to attend a school named after an enslaver!