2024-05-04 Honoring Freedom of Choice Individuals PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
RESOLUTION#2024-05-04
HONORING FREEDOM OF CHOICE INDIVIDUALS
VIRGINIA: At the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors' ("Board") May 21, 2024,
Business Meeting, the following Resolution was presented and adopted:
WHEREAS, in October 2021, the process began to form the "Freedom of Choice"
Committee ("Committee"), which is comprised partly of alumni from formerly all-black
Pittsylvania County public schools who remember the days prior to and during integration. Other
committee members include representation from the County's Public Library System and County's
Historical Society; and
WHEREAS, Committee members and community members alike lived during Virginia's
"Freedom of Choice" era, and the initiative was undertaken to ensure an accurate, complete,
honest, and inclusive account of this chapter in not-so-ancient history; and
WHEREAS, the Committee wanted to do something to recognize County students from
that were a part of the"Freedom of Choice"era,because they were so brave and so few; and
WHEREAS, after two (2) years of research and searching through yearbooks, a list of
names was assembled of the black County students that attended the primarily white County High
Schools during the"Freedom of Choice"era(1964-1969)before full integration; and
WHEREAS, the Committee worked with support from the County School Board, and in
partnership primarily with the County Public Library System and the County Historical Society
on the collaborative effort to curate and preserve the interviews and documentation collected about
"Freedom of Choice" in the County; and digital records, including audio and video recordings of
alumni, were stored and made available to researchers and the public; and
WHEREAS, the Committee Members are: Elizabeth Mayo, Michael Brown, Pastor
Reginald Carter,Glen Miller,Pastor Raymond Ramsey,Brenda Breedslove Carter, Margie Lanier
Richardson, Henry Myers, Rhonda Griffin, Marian Shelton Keyes, Calvin Yarbrough, Elma
Patrick Lane, Lisa Tuite, and Gayle Hunt Breakley; and
WHEREAS, four (4) ceremonies were held in February 2024 to unveil the plaques
installed at each County High School (Chatham, Gretna, Tunstall, and Dan River), which list the
names of black students who attended under the "Freedom of Choice" policy, honoring their
courage and commemorating both the struggle, and overcoming it.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board commends the dedicated
members of the Committee who joined together to honor these students who paved the way for
integration during Virginia's"Freedom of Choice"era in the mid-1960's, and showed remarkable
courage, leadership, and sacrifice to help break the racial barrier in education.