Voices of Integration
The Village Initiative collaborated with Black students from the Class of 1969 to produce a film and digital exhibit exploring their experiences as the first fully integrated graduating class in the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools.
Researched and curated with faculty and students at William & Mary, the 43-minute film and digital exhibit bring together oral histories from Black students in the Class of 1969 with a range of other primary sources to provide a robust view of the experience of school integration. These include additional oral histories from teachers, students, and parents collected between the 1990s and the 2020s and archival documents, including city council and school board records and articles from three newspapers during the period of integration and beyond.
Program Details:
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1.5 Hour Program
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Screening of the film
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Q&A with students from the Class of 1969
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Lesson plans developed by Jamestown High School educators available
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Digital exhibit available at: localblackhistories.gs.wm.edu
“Thank you for coordinating with the members of the Class of 1969. I met with my USVA History students today and the feedback I received from them was overwhelmingly positive, even those who are typically quiet expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to hear from them.”
- Jennifer Hayden, Jamestown High School Educator, WJCC Schools