Recent Reads: "Dirt Don't Burn: A Black Community's Struggle for Educational Equality Under Segregation"

I read a new-to-me book, Dirt Don't Burn: A Black Community's Struggle for Educational Equality Under Segregation, by Barry Harrelson and Larry Roeder. It came out last year, and it's all about education in Loudoun County, so it is the perfect thing to talk about here!

Dirt Don't Burn chronicles Black education in Loudoun County from the Civil War to the late 1960's, when the school system was forced to desegregate. It doesn't just cover education itself, but also the many facets that need to be met in order to have a thriving learning environment: health/sanitation, heating, nutrition, transportation, administration, funding, and teacher education. It also sheds light on the many sung and unsung heroes who championed the fight for better Black education, as well as the work, petitions, letters, and organizing those individuals accomplished.

This book was created by the Edwin Washington Project, a non-profit dedicated to documenting the impact of segregated education in Loudoun. They've done some fantastic work uncovering and preserving stories, data, and history that really hasn't been public knowledge. And this book demonstrates that. The Edwin Washington Project is a subsidiary of the Edwin Washington Society, which was created to foster non-partisan conversations about the value of diversity in modern society, usually with a history/preservation focus.

Back to the book. The book's emphasis is on Black education, but in order to truly explain the dichotomy between the separate education systems in Loudoun, white education also has to be defined, so it really is an overview of both. There is lots to glean from its pages, especially in the early years of public education in the county. This is a thorough book of information that explains the intricacies of Loudoun's early public education system and how it grew. I understand their scope was just covering segregation, but I wish their coverage of events continued beyond that point. While de jure segregation was put to an end, there are still areas of de facto segregation.

The Edwin Washington Society has said they have more books planned, so I look forward to seeing what they publish next. In the meantime, add Dirt Don't Burn to your reading list!

Dirt Don't Burn can be bought online in multiple places. It also is available at select bookstores around Loudoun County. I happened to find one at the Very Virginia Shop in Downtown Leesburg, and it turned out to be an autographed copy! Just goes to show, it never hurts to shop local! 

Gertrude Alexander

   Some would consider Loudoun County Public Schools to be a very progressive school system. While other organizations have only recently put females and minorities in seats of power, LCPS had a black and female superintendent in the late 30's.

   In 1939, Gertrude Alexander was put to the post as Superintendent in LCPS. But how is this possible right in the middle of both segregation and Superintendent Oscar Emerick's term (1917-1957)? Simple. She was superintendent of the African American side of the school system.

   According to this Balch Friends article, she was the person who recommended that all the smaller groups calling for a new black school join together under the County Wide League. Under the League, blacks finally got a non-firetrap high school building, Douglass High School (1941).

   She also invited Charles Houston to Loudoun to speak to the African American community for the first time. (I will properly cite this when I get back from vacation. Apologies). Houston, a famous lawyer, was also very instrumental in pushing for Douglass High School.

   Not much is known about Gertrude. No one at Balch Library can even find a picture of her. I don't know when her term ended or how did her superintendent position relate to Emerick's. This has just been an interesting nugget for you to chew on.

Recent Reads: "We Have Been Waiting Too Long"

Lord Loudoun 1966, LCHS Yearbook

   I don't know why I didn't stumble on this sooner. At Balch Library is a wonderful dissertation by Matthew Exline, a History Major at Patrick Henry College. It's full title is " "We Have Been Waiting Too Long," Civil Rights and the Death of Segregation in Loudoun County, Virginia."

   To rephrase the title, it covers the Civil Rights Movement in Loudoun County from 1917 to 1969.

   Just a forewarning: There are many sources out there already available, and I have not seen everything out there. That being said, I thought it was one of the best. The dissertation is the most complete journey of the county's civil rights movement I have read. With others, I got brief overall. This explained all the twists and turns, giving details on various struggles.

   The segregation of schools was a main part of Loudoun County's segregation. This dissertation devotes two out of its five chapters on the schools. Other chapters go over desegregating Purcellville Public Library, restaurants in Leesburg and Middleburg, and desegregation of recreational places in Leesburg.

   My favorite line: "Such crises usually involved Douglass High School, which was apparently in perpetual need of urgent attention." Poor Douglass!

   It even ends with a message about how "Even though the events may be partly forgotten, that does not mean that all the wounds are healed or all the wrongs have been righted." I think this is true at times. It did say that LCPS was the only branch that has admitted its previous wrongdoings. And LCPS will continue to again in the LCPS History Video we are working on.


   "We Have Been Waiting Too Long" is currently available at Balch Library. Balch is connected to the main Loudoun County Public Library System, so you can reserve the book from your closest library branch as well.

[Update 2020: Matthew Exline has now released this as a book! It is titled "We Have Been Waiting Too Long: The Struggle Against Racial Segregation in Loudoun County, Virginia." You can find copies to purchase here.]

Monday Memories - Douglass High School 1965

This week, I'm going to Douglass High School's 1965 yearbook, "The Ram."

I wish the stage was still able to be used like this.
(It's now converted into classrooms)

Here's a close-up on my favorite candid/caption

   Douglass opened in 1941 as a segregated black high school. It closed in 1968 with the school system integrating. Since then, Douglass has served many purposes for the school system. In the 1970's, a deal was worked out to share Douglass between LCPS and Parks & Rec. Douglass continues to be used today.

Sources:
Douglass School