2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26102698D

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 97

Offered January 27, 2026

Commending the Save Brookvale History Committee.

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Patron—Kent

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WHEREAS, the Save Brookvale History Committee has greatly served the Lancaster County community by preserving and sharing the history, stories, and memorabilia of Brookvale High School, a historic, segregated Black high school in Lancaster County; and

WHEREAS, Brookvale High School served Black students in Lancaster County from 1959 until 1969, when Lancaster Public Schools were fully integrated; and

WHEREAS, the Brookvale High School building was subsequently used for the Mantua Intermediate School, followed by the Lancaster Primary School from 1973 to 2023; and

WHEREAS, the Save Brookvale History Committee (SBHC) has worked closely with the Lancaster Virginia Historical Society to conduct research and collect materials for a digital archive of Brookvale High School, which includes all of the school's yearbooks; and

WHEREAS, as a result of the tireless efforts of members of the SBHC, a historical highway marker describing the history of Brookvale High School was approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and unveiled at a dedication ceremony on October 4, 2025; and

WHEREAS, the support of Brookvale High School alumni, as well as community members and institutions such as the Kilmarnock Museum, proved instrumental to the success of the SBHC's endeavors; and

WHEREAS, the SBHC has fostered meaningful community dialogue about the future use of the Brookvale High School building since the closure of the Lancaster Primary School, ensuring that the school's legacy will be honored and recognized by citizens in a dignified manner for generations to come; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Save Brookvale History Committee for its accomplishments in preserving and celebrating the history of Brookvale High School; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Save Brookvale History Committee as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the organization's contributions to Lancaster County and the Commonwealth.