New Luray Museum Honors Black History

Photo by~ Town of Luray (via Facebook)

Firsthand accounts & photos pay homage to former school

LURAY, Va. — The grand opening of the historic Andrew Jackson School Museum was held Saturday, November 5, representing a full-circle journey for local people of color.

Housed within the current W Luray Recreation Center, at 630 West Main Street, the museum pays tribute to former teachers, former students and the continuing legacy of a small rural school that educated young black minds in an era where nothing came easy. 

Preceding the unveiling was a near standing-room-only celebration attended by local officials and community members. The invitation-only event may have been months in the planning, but it was decades and lifetimes in the making. 

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

Former students of the school, many in their 80s and 90s were also in attendance. In their lifetimes, they watched as the school evolved from a treasured place of learning to an abandoned, outdated reminder of segregation. The building, since beautifully restored to a community recreation center, was there once again to welcome them. During the ceremony, these former students sat in front of the room, facing the audience. It was a fitting head-of-the-class recognition for those who humbly paved the way.

“I have a lot of memories here,” said former student Walter Tutt. “I never dreamed we would have such a museum and celebration in the same building.”

The Andrew Jackson School, named after a local black entrepreneur, originated in 1924. In an era (and area) where a public school education was only available to white students, the three-room school was the product of substantial fundraising by community members. Additional support came from the county and corporate donors who strongly believed in educational opportunities for young people of color.

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

While the school was a much-needed and much-welcomed resource for children of the black community, it had its limits. Initially, the school only offered a curriculum through the seventh grade.  The Page County School Board eventually added additional grade levels up to and including the 11th grade. However, black students still had to travel or relocate to complete 12th grade studies and earn a high school diploma.

Newspaper archives of the time don’t reflect the Andrew Jackson School as one burdened by poverty or a lack of learning materials.  Rather, they reflect a school led by teachers who were wholeheartedly invested in the overall success of their students. There was no shame in attending a “different” school, but rather the constant encouragement to be the best version of themselves, no matter the hurdles often placed in their way. The school served as a strong foundation for young blacks to not only achieve, but to excel.  As if fueled by adversity, students routinely demonstrated the type of academic excellence that earned both local and regional recognition. 

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

In 2017, local Pastor Audre King had a vision to restore the old Andrew Jackson School and create a community recreation center. Since then, the building has been lovingly updated and restored by an untold number of community volunteers. The building (unofficially known as “the Rec”) now offers a game room, main meeting room, kitchen, computer lab, and fitness room.  Programs and events are offered throughout the year, at no cost. Living Legacy, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was established to oversee fundraising and program support for the center.

On the day of the museum opening, the morning’s rain slowly gave way to soft sunlight. The inside of the building buzzed with excited conversation and joyful sounds from classmates and friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.   

The official event began with a introduction by Sibbie Jeffries and a prayer of gratitude led by Pastor King. A spirited welcome from emcee Bobby Brown set the tone for the day’s celebration.

“We’re not here to relive the past,” said Brown. “But the past is an important gauge of where we were, and where we are.”

Brown urged the crowd to not merely focus on history’s wrongs, but to also learn from those mistakes and celebrate the present.

“We’re all a product of the past,” he said. “But we don’t have to be a prisoner of the past.”

Photo by~ Tracy Leicher

LaToya King approached the podium to lead the crowd in a rendition of “Lift Every Voice And Sing” – a song once part of each Andrew Jackson School morning. As the voices of former students melded with King’s, years after the end of segregation, one could not help but feel the historical significance. History happened a long time ago. But in the span of a lifetime, it's just yesterday.

After Melvin Tutt led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Walt Surratt thanked local officials for their attendance. Bobby Brown returned to offer appreciation to Living Legacy board members, and Robert King introduced each school alumni member separately. Some stood to the sound of the applause. Some remained seated. All were humbly grateful for the recognition – and the museum. 

In remembrance of Andrew Jackson School teachers and students who have passed on, Kathy Veney and Sandy Bailey lit memorial candles. Reading from a prepared speech, Veney directed her comments in tribute to those lost along the way.

“The memories you made in this school will be a part of our legacy … forever.”

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

Lynchburg creative Stan Webb was recognized for transforming the vision of the Andrew Jackson School museum into a beautifully-designed reality. Page County Chamber of Commerce staff assisted alumni members in the first of two ribbon cutting ceremonies of the day. An indoor, seated ribbon cutting allowed all alumni members to participate. Immediately after, a ribbon cutting was held to include committee members and local officials.

“Over the years, I've heard bits and pieces, but never the whole story of what these students went through to get a quality, equal education,” said Luray mayor Jerry Dofflemyer.

The museum itself, located in the front of the recreation center, contains a substantial amount of school history in a relatively small space. Alongside large mounted displays of school history and inspirational quotes, walls bear vintage images of students in sports uniforms and school fashions. Glass cases display school photos and mementos. A large, interactive screen providing even more information, graces the far wall.

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

“It's so wonderful this story is being told and preserved for future generations,” mused Dofflemyer.

Audrey Tutt-Smith spoke of the amount of time, effort and support demonstrated by former students, committee members and community members.

Her voice filling with emotion, she told the gathered crowd, “If you said a prayer for us, criticized us or donated to us, we want to thank you – because it brought us all together.”

Tutt-Smith noted that while the museum space itself is finished, it will also be an ever-evolving project.  One example, the museum room features interchangeable cabinets to display additional information or images presented in the future.  Committee members encourage people to come forward with any stories, documents or photos that may be added to the museum.

Said Tutt-Smith, “Every second that we put into this was a labor of love.”

Photo byPhoto Credit: Tracy Leicher

For those who were unable to attend the November 5 ceremony, a video of the event is available for viewing on the West Luray Recreation Center Facebook page @WLurayRecCenter, courtesy of photographer and videographer Floyd Parks.

To mail a donation to Living Legacy, checks may be sent to P.O. Box 603, Luray, VA 22835. For general information, updates or to get involved, visit www.livinglegacyluray.org or call 571-565-4422.

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