Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services to Celebrate Douglass Legacy Day October 5

Celebrate the history and impact of The Historic Douglass High School in Loudoun County at the first annual Douglass Legacy Day on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is the first in a series of annual commemorative events recommended by the Douglass High School Commemorative Committee and approved by the Board of Supervisors in October 2023 (PDF).

Douglass Legacy Day recognizes the history of the school and honors the stories of the students, families, faculty and staff who experienced educational, social and financial impacts associated with the forced sale of the school property in 1940. The event is hosted by the Douglass Community Center and is presented in coordination with the Loudoun Douglass High School Alumni Association, the Edwin Washington Society, and the NAACP Loudoun Branch. The Douglass Community Center is operated by Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services and is co-located on The Historic Douglass High School Education and Development Campus, 407 E. Market Street in Leesburg.

Event Details

Douglass Legacy Day is a free event for all ages that commemorates the significance of The Historic Douglass High School through hands-on activities and educational experiences for all ages. More than 25 community vendors will be in attendance, along with a variety of food for purchase. The event will be held rain or shine.

Free parking and a shuttle service is available at the Leesburg Park & Ride, 19730 Sycolin Road, Leesburg. There will be limited on-site and accessible parking at the Douglass Community Center and the Historic Douglass High School Education and Development Campus.

For more information on the activities, community vendors, and entertainment schedule for Douglass Legacy Day, visit loudoun.gov/douglasslegacyday

Historical Background

Named in memory of Frederick Douglass, the noted black abolitionist and orator, The Historic Douglass High School was built in 1941 on land purchased by Loudoun's Black parents through the County-Wide League. The Loudoun County School Board agreed to fund the school if the League sold the land to the Loudoun County School Board for $1. The Douglass High School was Loudoun's only accredited high school serving Black students prior to court-ordered integration in 1968. The building is listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.

The Douglass High School Commemorative Committee was appointed by the Loudoun County School Board in 2021 and played a key role in the school's renovation, which was completed in 2023. The Commemorative Committee's Reconciliation Subcommittee made recommendations to the Board of Supervisors in 2023 that included funding an annual commemorative event to preserve the legacy of Douglass High School by bringing awareness to the greater Loudoun community of the school's history.

The Historic Douglass High School Education & Development Campus

The Historic Douglass High School building is now home to the Douglass High School Consortium, which is comprised of the Loudoun Douglass High School Alumni Association, the Edwin Washington Society, and the NAACP Loudoun Branch. It also provides space for Loudoun County Public Schools' Head Start STEP (Starting Towards Excellence in Preschool), Child Find and Welcome Center programs; a portion of the building serves as the Douglass Community Center.

The Douglass Community Center also features a playground that includes one-of-a-kind custom-made structures and replicas that depict African American history and culture, including the Hall of Heroes, which is inspired by the architecture of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., and is the center structure of the themed playground concept. More information about the community center is posted online on the Loudoun County government website.

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