The Lost Years (1959 - 1964)
After the Brown decision in 1954, Prince Edward County took no immediate action. In 1959, rather than integrate, the County Board of Supervisors responded by defunding and closing the public schools—an act of massive resistance. White students continued their education in private “segregation academies,” supported by state tuition grants, while most black students had nowhere to go. These private schools were created to keep segregation in place, though it was ruled illegal. In 1964, the Supreme Court ordered Prince Edward County to reopen and integrate its public schools. However, 1959-1964 are often referred to as "the Lost Years" by the black students of Prince Edward County who had no public education for five years.
“Gallery v - the Moton School Story.” 2021. The Moton School Story. The Moton Museum. April 15, 2021. https://motonschoolstory.org/gallery-v/.
B.B Hanbury (right) and T.W. Brooks making plans for the new Prince Edward Academy building.
Peeples, Edward . n.d. “Edward H. Peeples Prince Edward County (Va.) Public Schools Documents - VCU Libraries Digital Collections - VCU Scholars Compass - Virginia Commonwealth University | Edward H. Peeples Prince Edward County (Va.) Public Schools | Virginia Commonwealth University.” Vcu.edu. VCU Scholars Compass. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/pec_docs/.
Originally created in 1965, this chart lists the thirteen private schools by district in Virginia that were established since 1958 to circumvent desegregation. It includes statistics on population, enrollments, budgets, and tuition grants.
Times-Register, Volume 101, Number 44, 17 June 1955
This article discusses the events leading up to the Moton walkout and its immediate aftermath, highlighting the stance of the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors.
Courtesy of Richmond-Times Dispatch July 1963
https://www.virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=TFH19640526