Quite a lot!
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hen the public is choosing a name, they should collect data,
study backgrounds and relevance, and base their choices on bona fides, some
sound unbiased justification, some evidence of candidates’ qualifications,
achievements and actual contributions. That didn’t happen in Virginia and, likely
it will happen again with the emotionally charged distraction, and misguided attempts
to erase history. Again a poor example being set for developing minds.
The Richmond school administration purported to base its
decision on student choices---students who, by nature, are ignorant of history
and its importance and have no sense of earned achievement— and “recommended
that the school board” rename an elementary school to take the name of the 44th
US president.
Speaking of pandering politics, fixes, unearned accolades,
and the miseducation of or sending the wrong messages to developing youngsters,
the Superintendent of schools reportedly was an advisor on “education issues”
to the former president’s 2008 presidential campaign. Truth and history are
important; without clarity of our history, we are unprepared to write the
forwardly progressing chapters. Stunts neither mend nor amend. They drive
deeper the gulf of our divide without mending society or making human relations
better. “Richmond’s J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School — honoring a Confederate —
will be renamed for Barack Obama” Justin Mattingly at the Richmond
Times-Dispatch June 19, 2018, sourced at Roanoke News.
The news headline
prompted me to research Virginia-born contributors to arts, society, education,
progress whose names — if indeed the name had to be changed—would have made
better choices for an institution of learning.
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IRSTS
Opechancanough or Opchanacanough (1554–1646), Indigenous
(Native American) tribal chief within the Powhatan Confederacy (now Virginia
USA); “united more than 30 Virginia Indian tribal groups in the Tidewater
region” (southern eastern Virginia); birthplace Southampton. - Bill “Bojangles”
Robinson born Luther Robinson (May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), American tap
dancer and actor, “the best known and most highly paid African-American
entertainer in the first half of the twentieth century; birth place Richmond,
Virginia. - Lawrence Douglas Wilder (born January 17, 1931 - ), American lawyer
and politician, first African American to serve as governor of a U.S. state
since Reconstruction, the first elected African-American governor; Southampton
Richmond, Virginia. - James Edward Maceo West (February 10, 1931 - ), American
inventor, acoustician (involved in the study of all mechanical waves in gases,
liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and
infrasound), teacher, holder of more than 250 foreign and U.S. patents for the
production and design of microphones and techniques for creating polymer foil
electrets; birthplace Farmville, Prince Edward County, Virginia. - Arthur
Robert Ashe Jr (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993), American professional tennis
champion; birthplace Richmond Virginia.
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ESISTERS &OVERCOMERS
Edgar Allan Poe born Edgar Poe (January 19, 1809 – October
7, 1849), American writer, editor, literary critic; foster child of a Richmond,
Virginia, slave owner (loss of parents, moved to Virginia at age 3, later
graduated UVA). - Nat Turner (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831), American
resister, born into American slavery (named by Benjamin Turner); August 21,
1831 led a rebellion of slaves and free blacks in Southampton County, Virginia;
birthplace Southampton County, Virginia. - Booker Taliaferro Washington
(c. 1856 – November 14, 1915), American educator, author, orator, and advisor
to presidents of the United States; born into slavery in Virginia, later moved
with his family to West Virginia; birthplace Franklin City, Virginia.
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ERFORMERS (trailblazers on stage)
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), American
jazz singer aka “the First Lady of Song,” “Queen of Jazz,” “Lady Ella” renown
for “her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, intonation, and a ‘horn-like’
improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing; birthplace Newport
News, Virginia. - Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990), American
actress and singer; birthplace Newport News, Virginia. - June Carter
(1929–2003), American singer/songwriter, actress, dancer, guitarist; birthplace
Maces Spring, Virginia. (Background source Wikipedia; collage from web photos)
[https://www.roanoke.com/news/education/richmond-s-j-e-b-stuart-elementary-school-honoring-a/article_ebe10ec4-9196-56fc-b997-283b513b9a2c.html]
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