COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

January 28, 2011

TO: Division Superintendents

FROM: Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: Educational Resources from the Library of Virginia: 2011 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History & 2011 Virginia Women in History Program

I am pleased to bring to your attention the recognition of February as African American History Month and March as Women's History Month. To celebrate both occasions, the Library of Virginia, partnering with Dominion, Capital One, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, has mailed to Virginia social studies teachers and history and social science chairpersons in elementary, middle, and high schools the 2011 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History posters and the 2011 Virginia Women in History posters. Posters highlight the state and national contributions of African Americans and Virginia women, including a short biography of each individual honored. The posters are supported by online educational resources suitable for teachers in grades K-12. These can be found at: http://lva.virginia.gov/trailblazers/ and http://lva.virginia.gov/vawomen/.

This year's honorees are:

2011 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History

• John Rollison (c. 1725–1780), Artisan and Entrepreneur, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Nominated by James Cameron, Williamsburg.
• Henry "Box" Brown (c. 1815–c. 1879), Abolitionist and Performer, Richmond. Nominated by Mary Johnston's first-grade class, Clark Elementary School, Charlottesville.
• Lucy Francis Simms (1855–1934), Educator, Harrisonburg. Nominated by Deniece Frye's sixth-grade class, Skyline Middle School, Harrisonburg.
• Robert Walter "Whirlwind" Johnson (1899–1971), Physician and Tennis Coach, Lynchburg. Nominated by Leo Goodman, IV, Richmond.
• Henrietta Lacks (1920–1951), Medical Cause Célèbre, Clover. Nominated by Virginia Rose Cherry, Ph.D., Petersburg.
• Wendell Scott (1921–1990) NASCAR Racer, Danville.
• John A. Stokes, Civil Rights Advocate, Farmville. Nominated by Sally Miller, William Fox Elementary School, Richmond.
• Annie Belle Daniels, Entrepreneur, Newport News.

2011 Virginia Women in History

• Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell (1749–1825), Saltville, Methodist lay leader.
• Emily White Fleming (1855–1941), Fredericksburg, Preservationist. Nominated by Melissa Smith FitzGerald.
• Lucy Addison (1861–1937), Roanoke, Educator. Nominated by Jenny Woodall-Gainey's sixth-grade class, Lucy Addison Middle School, Roanoke.
• Bessie Niemeyer Marshall (1884–1960), Petersburg, Botanical Illustrator. Nominated by Virginia Rose Cherry, Richard Bland College.
• Eleanor Bontecou (1891–1976), Arlington County, Attorney.
• Felicia Warburg Rogan, Albemarle County, Vintner.
• Lillian Lincoln Lambert, Mechanicsville, Entrepreneur and author.
• Pearl Fu, Roanoke, Civic Leader.

For more information about either the African American Trailblazers in Virginia History or the Virginia Women in History projects, please contact Tameka Hobbs at the Library of Virginia, by e-mail at tameka.hobbs@lva.virginia.gov or telephone at (804) 371-2126; or Betsy Barton, specialist for history and social science, Office of Standards, Curriculum, and Instruction, by e-mail at Betsy.Barton@doe.virginia.gov or telephone at (804) 225-3454.

PIW/BSB/vdg