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Historical Highway MarkersDouglas SchoolQ-4-9
Douglas School, Winchester’s public school for Black children, originated ca. 1878 with classes in the Old Stone Church. In the 1920s, overcrowding prompted citizens to campaign for better facilities. Built with state funds and a bequest from John Handley, the new Douglas School opened here in 1927 to serve grades 1–9. The building, later enlarged, offered a full 12 grades by 1952 and became a regional high school with students from nearby counties. School, church, and civic programs held here put Douglas at the center of Black community life. Winchester desegregated its schools in 1966. Renovations completed in 2022 prepared the building for use as school district offices and a museum.
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References/Bibliographic Citation: Winchester Evening Star, 6 Sept. 1927 Winchester School Board minutes, various years. Judy Humbert and June Gaskins-Davis, History of Douglas School, Winchester, Virginia: A Tribute to Endurance, Belief, Perseverance, and Success (Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, 2014). Douglas School NRHP nomination (2000). Judy Humbert, “The Old Stone Presbyterian Church, the Black Community, and Frederick Douglas School,” Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society Journal, vol. 3 (1988): 5-11. Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3 Dec. 1911. https://virginiachronicle.com/?a=d&d=TD19111203.1.10&srpos=26&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------- |