COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

February 3, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Educational Resources from the Library of Virginia: 2012 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History and 2012 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 and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, has mailed to Virginia social studies teachers and history and social science chairpersons in elementary, middle, and high schools the 2012 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History posters and the 2012 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:

2012 African American Trailblazers in Virginia History

• Michael L. Blakey, Anthropologist, Williamsburg.  Nominated by Gwendolyn Harvey, Petersburg.
• Noah Davis (1804–1867), Author of an Emancipation Narrative, Fredericksburg.
• James Farmer (1920–1999), Civil Rights Leader, Spotsylvania County.  Nominated by Janet M. Stephen’s sixth-grade honors U.S. history class (2010-2011), Albert H. Hill Middle School, Richmond.
• John Jasper (1812–1901), Baptist Minister, Richmond.  Nominated by Benjamin Ross, church historian, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, Richmond.
• Willie Lanier, Athlete and Entrepreneur, Richmond.
• Oscar Micheaux (1884–1951), Filmmaker, Roanoke.  Nominated by Peggy DeHart on behalf of the 2010-2011 first-graders at Belview Elementary School, Radford.
• Yvonne B. Miller, Political Leader, Norfolk.
• Irene Morgan (1917–2007), Principal in a Civil Rights Case, Gloucester County.  Nominated by Alyssa Murray’s and Kerri Black’s fourth-grade students (2010-2011), John B. Cary Elementary School, Richmond.

2012 Virginia Women in History

• Susie May Ames (1888–1969), Accomack County, Historian.
• Monica Beltran, Prince William County, Bronze Star Medal Recipient.  Nominated by John W. Listman Jr., Virginia National Guard Historical Collection, Fort Pickett, Blackstone.
• Christiana Burdett Campbell (c. 1723–1792), Williamsburg, Innkeeper.
• Betty Sams Christian (1922–2006), Richmond, Business Executive and Philanthropist.
• Elizabeth Peet McIntosh, Woodbridge, Intelligence Agent.  Nominated by Linda McCarthy, Markham.
• Orleana Hawks Puckett (d. 1939), Patrick and Carroll Counties, Midwife.  Nominated by Larnette Snow, librarian of Blue Ridge and Meadows of Dan Elementary Schools, on behalf of Tammy Harrison’s and Mary Slate’s fifth-grade students, Blue Ridge Elementary School, Ararat.
• Judith Shatin, Charlottesville, Composer.
• Alice Jackson Stuart (1913–2001), Richmond, Principal in a 1935 Civil Rights Turning Point.

For more information about either the African American Trailblazers in Virginia History or the Virginia Women in History projects, please contact the Library of Virginia education team, by e-mail at education@lva.virginia.gov or by telephone at (804) 692-3999; 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 by telephone at (804) 225-3454.

PIW/BSB/vdg