2025 SESSION

ENROLLED

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 750

Commending the Charlottesville Twelve.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 18, 2025

Agreed to by the Senate, February 20, 2025

WHEREAS, the Charlottesville Twelve were a group of 12 African American students who bravely enrolled in previously all-white public schools in Charlottesville on September 8, 1959, defying decades of segregation and systemic discrimination; and

WHEREAS, the historic integration of Venable Elementary School and Lane High School by the Charlottesville Twelve marked a pivotal moment in the local civil rights movement and paved the way for broader desegregation across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, despite facing isolation, hostility, and the challenges of “massive resistance,” the Charlottesville Twelve demonstrated extraordinary resilience and determination that inspired future generations to strive for equality and justice; and

WHEREAS, the courageous actions of the Charlottesville Twelve not only advanced educational opportunities for African American students but also contributed to the gradual dismantling of Jim Crow laws in Charlottesville and beyond; and

WHEREAS, the enduring legacy of the Charlottesville Twelve serves as a testament to the transformative power of courage and unity in the face of injustice, and their example continues to inform and enrich the ongoing struggle for civil rights; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Charlottesville Twelve for their pivotal role in the racial integration of public schools in the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to members of the Charlottesville Twelve as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for their inspirational courage.