Black History Program Honors Former Chesapeake School Principals

CHESAPEAKE

The Rehoboth AME Church of Chesapeake celebrated its second anniversary of the History and Research Ministry on February 26 by honoring Black educators of Norfolk County Schools and Chesapeake prior to desegregation.

The honorees included  Mr. Charles Brabble and Harmor U. Booker, the two surviving Black principals, as well as personnel of the following schools: Bells Mills, Central, Crestwood, Carver, Edwards-Wilson, Southeastern, Southwestern Elementary Schools and Crestwood Junior and Senior High School.

Mr. Brabble was principal of  Deep Creek Elementary and  Carver High School. Mr. Booker was principal of Carver High School and Southwest Elementary.

Forty-two years ago Crestwood students held a protest march to the school administration building on March 17, 1970 to voice their concerns about the closing of their school.

Over 150 people attended the event, said Mrs. Margaret C. Mack, one of the organizers of the Black History Month observance. She said Rev. Michael Tolliver, who was present at the event, recalled how he was among the students who conducted the  protest march to the steps of the school administration building demanding that the Black High School of  South Norfolk County remain open.