Virginia NAACP Condemns Efforts to Name Schools after Confederate Generals

The NAACP Virginia State Conference NAACP (Virginia NAACP) condemns all efforts to add or retain the names/images of Confederate leaders on public property. Our reasoning is sound: Military leaders of the Confederate States of America took up arms against the United States of America and fought to preserve and expand the peculiar institution of slavery. These hateful, white supremacist ideals should not be memorialized anywhere the public–which includes descendants of enslaved Africans–is required to support financially.  The mission of the NAACP requires us to work to eliminate discrimination. Returning names of Confederate leaders to public buildings runs counter to this mission.

Shenandoah County’s “Coalition for Better Schools” wants to change the names of Mountain View High School and Honey Run Elementary School back to Stonewall Jackson and Ashby-Lee, respectively. In 2020, the Shenandoah County School Board voted to change schools named after Confederate leaders and to remove the rebel mascot from North Fork Middle School. The subject of restoring the names came before the school board again in 2022, the decision was split 3-3, and the Confederate names were not restored. November 2023 brought new members to the school board. Confederate sympathizers have declared their desire to change the names of the public schools. The Virginia NAACP vehemently opposes this effort and hopes that all citizens committed to racial justice will do the same.