Absolon Kent

ARLINGTON, Va. — On February 2, 1959, Stratford Junior High School became the first public school in Virginia to desegregate, marking a pivotal moment in the Commonwealth's Civil Rights history and signaling the collapse of the state's policy of Massive Resistance.
Constructed in 1950, Stratford became the focus of a legal and political battle that followed the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education. After years of litigation led by the NAACP and local activist Dorothy Hamm, a federal court ordered Arlington County to admit four Black students—Ronald Deskins, Michael Jones, Lance Newman, and Gloria Thompson—to the previously all-white school.

Despite threats from segregationist organizations and the presence of approximately 100 police officers on the morning of February 2, 1959, the four students entered the school peacefully. Principal Claude Richmond welcomed them, classes proceeded without violence, and the day became known by the Anti-Defamation League as "The Day Nothing Happened." That quiet success marked the beginning of the end for Massive Resistance across Virginia.

Today, the campus is home to Dorothy Hamm Middle School, renamed in 2019 to honor the Arlington activist whose determination helped make school desegregation a reality. The Stratford Commemorative Trail on the school's campus was dedicated in 2021 and preserves the story of the four students whose courage changed Virginia history.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Lomax AME Zion Church preserves one of the most significant chapters in Arlington County's African American history. Founded by formerly enslaved residents of Freedman's Village, the congregation traces its origins to 1863, making it the oldest extant African American church in Arlington County.

The congregation began as Wesley Zion Church, later known as Little Zion Church, within Freedman's Village on the former Arlington estate of Robert E. Lee. As the federal government prepared to close the settlement, members temporarily worshipped in the home of Levi and Sarah Ann Jones before purchasing a one-acre site in Green Valley in 1874, where the church has remained for more than 150 years. The congregation later adopted the name Lomax AME Zion Church in honor of Bishop T.H. Lomax, an influential leader of the AME Zion Church.

The present Gothic Revival sanctuary, completed after construction began in 1922*, is recognized as an Arlington County Landmark and is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register as the county's oldest surviving African American church building. Its adjoining cemetery preserves the stories of generations of Green Valley residents, including formerly enslaved men and women whose lives helped shape the community.

Lomax AME Zion Church also played an important role in the modern Civil Rights Movement. In August 1963, under the leadership of the Rev. Arthur W. Walls, the congregation welcomed activists traveling to the March on Washington. On the eve of the historic march, Martin Luther King Jr and Ralph Abernathy addressed supporters in the church parking lot before traveling to the nation's capital, where Dr. King delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech the following day.

Today, Lomax AME Zion Church continues to stand as both a place of worship and a lasting symbol of Green Valley's resilience, preserving a legacy that spans from emancipation through the Civil Rights Movement and into the present day.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Macedonia Baptist Church traces its origins to 1908, when residents of Arlington's Green Valley community gathered for prayer meetings in the home of Bonder and Amanda Johnson. From those modest beginnings, the congregation grew into the first African American church established by the Nauck (now Green Valley) community itself.

After constructing an early chapel beside the Johnson home, the congregation acquired Peyton Hall near Nauck Station before formally organizing as Macedonia Baptist Church in 1911. Under its first pastor, the Rev. John Gilliam, the church quickly became a center of worship and community life, with its first baptisms taking place in Four Mile Run in 1912.

As Green Valley expanded, so did the church. A new sanctuary was completed in 1927, and the cornerstone for the present church was laid in 1971. During the pastorate of Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin Sr., Macedonia broadened its mission beyond the pulpit, establishing the Bonder and Amanda Johnson Community Development Corporation in 1999, developing affordable housing through The Macedonian, and expanding community services with a family life center.

On November 29, 2003, Arlington County dedicated a historical marker recognizing Macedonia Baptist Church's enduring contributions to Green Valley. More than a century after its founding, the congregation continues to serve as both a spiritual home and a cornerstone of one of Arlington's oldest African American communities.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School highlights the enduring legacy of one of Arlington's most distinguished residents while reflecting the evolution of public education in the Green Valley community.

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ARLINGTON, Va. — Founded in 1866 by formerly enslaved residents of Freedman's Village, the congregation of Mount Zion Baptist Church began as the Old Bell Churchon the former Arlington estate of Robert E. Lee. As the federal government closed Freedman's Village in the 1880s, the church relocated to what would become Arlington County, carrying with it the original church bell that inspired its first name.
The congregation was displaced a second time in 1942 when its sanctuary was condemned to make way for the road network serving the newly constructed Pentagon. Undeterred, church members purchased land in Green Valley, where they dedicated their present sanctuary in 1945. The building was designed by Romulus C. Archer Jr., one of the first licensed African American architects in Washington, D.C.

Community historians credit Mount Zion, together with Mount Olive Baptist Church, with helping establish two of Arlington's historic Black neighborhoods following the closure of Freedman's Village. Mount Zion's members settled in Green Valley, where the church has remained a spiritual and community anchor for generations.

An Arlington County historical marker at the corner of South Kenmore and South 19th Streets commemorates Mount Zion Baptist Church's remarkable journey and recognizes its distinction as the oldest African American congregation in Arlington County.

Today, more than 160 years after its founding, Mount Zion Baptist Church continues to serve the Green Valley community while preserving an extraordinary chapter of Arlington's history. A visit offers a powerful connection to the origins of Arlington's oldest African American congregation and the enduring legacy of the families who established the Green Valley community.

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