Douglass High School
Photograph courtesy of Scenic America
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Douglass High School
symbolizes the quiet tenacity and sense of purpose evinced by Loudoun
County's black citizens in their determination to secure a high standard
of secondary education for their children. The school stands on land purchased
by African Americans and presented to the county school board in 1940.
Though the building was paid for with public funds, the black community
raised money for furnishings, laboratory equipment, and band instruments.
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Historic Photograph of Douglass High
School and students, c.1947
Photograph courtesy of Virginia Department of Historic Resources
Archives
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Named for Frederick Douglass, a former slave and prominent abolitionist,
the school operated as the county's first and only black high school
from its opening in 1941 until the termination of segregated education
in 1968. The building today houses an alternative school, serving students
with special needs.
Douglass High School is a public school located at 407 East Market
St., in Leesburg. It is not open for public tours.
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