By Taylor Boyd
A historical marker honoring the legacy of Patrick Central School will be unveiled Saturday, June 13.
The ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the corner of Salem Highway, or Virginia 8, and Blackjack Road.
Mary Sawyers, who led the effort to secure the marker, said the Virginia Department of Transportation has asked attendees to park on Blackjack Road rather than along the highway.
“We have a ceremony we’re going to do. We’ll have different speakers come in and talk, and we’re going to have some of the classmates speak. Then we’re going to unveil the marker,” she said.
Patrick Central School was a segregated school that served African American students in Patrick County from 1952 until 1966, when desegregation took place.
Approximately 600 students attended the school during its 14 years of operation. Fourteen teachers and three principals served there during that time.
Sawyers said obtaining approval for the marker took about 18 months. The Patrick County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved supporting the historical marker during a March 2025 meeting.
She estimates about 100 people will attend the unveiling ceremony.
To commemorate the occasion, Patrick Central School memorial booklets containing information about the school’s history, teachers, graduates, and more will be available for purchase for $10 each.
Following the unveiling, a reunion for former Patrick Central School students will begin at 3 p.m. at the Rotary Building in Stuart. The cost is $20 per person.
For more information, visit Facebook.com/PatrickCentralSchool-Stuart,Va.
