OPENING CLOSED DOORS by Connie Curry
Narrative of the American Friends Service Committee's Work in Prince Edward County, Virginia. 1959-1965
In 1959 Virginia officials defied court orders to desegregate Prince Edward County schools and chose instead to abandon public education. The American Friends Service Committee was there, demonstrating solidarity with the families of the 1,700 black children who were locked out of their schools. A segregated school system was organized for white children with tuition grants from public funds enabling them to attend the hastily organized private academies. AFSC representatives anticipated a crisis of perhaps a semester or two. They were there until 1965, a year after public schools were reopened. Amidst the chronological unfolding, drama and individual stories during these years, several major themes emerge in the full narrative of AFSC involvement in the county.