This oral history project seeks to collect and preserve the memories of those involved in Charlottesville and Albemarle County public school sports during the period of Massive Resistance and desegregation. We are building a database of interviews with Black and White student athletes, cheerleaders, school administrators, teachers, coaches, local leaders, and parents who share their stories of that tumultuous time. For some, sport is the great equalizer that allows individual talent and effort to overshadow socio-economic conditions. For others, sport is just another form of exploitation and oppression that has promulgated racial stereotypes and limited opportunities for African Americans. With this project, we seek to interrogate these assumptions and reveal the complex truths from the long-simplified myths. Our ultimate goal is to produce a quality documentary focused on the role of athletics in the desegregation of schools. Sport is one small aspect of the story of race in America, but it is a story with broad resonance – one we believe has not been fully explored.

Check out our first online program for this project with Kent Merritt, David Sloan, moderated by Shelley Murphy, and including Phyllis Leffler, George H. Gilliam and Annie Valentine in partnership with AARP Virginia, ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History, and AAHGS-Greater Richmond, Virginia Chapter. The Virginia Humanities and the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation Enriching Communities fund are generously supporting our work. Please consider supporting us with this initiative. And do you have stories or know others who do who would like to share with this project to help tell this important part of our local history: [email protected]