Join us on Thursday, August 13, from 10:00–11:30 a.m. at Rocktown High School for the exhibit opening of Celebrating Simms at Rocktown High School.
Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed and Harrisonburg City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Richards will be among the featured speakers at this special 90-minute event, which will include remarks, discussion, time to explore the exhibit, and refreshments.
On display in the main atrium of the high school, the exhibit—originally developed in 2016 through a collaboration of James Madison University students, the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project, former Simms student Billo Harper, and more than fifty community partners—honors pioneering African American educator Lucy F. Simms and the segregation-era Harrisonburg school named in her honor.
In partnership with Harrisonburg City Public Schools, and with support from Virginia Humanities, the William M. King Charitable Foundation, and James Madison University, a copy of the Celebrating Simms exhibit has now been installed at Rocktown High School, expanding access to this important history to local students, teachers, and families. The new installation is also being complemented by new curricular resources created by local teachers and an updated ADA-accessible companion website.
