Highway Marker In Lynchburg To Honor Dunbar High School

RICHMOND

Lynchburg’s  historic Dunbar High School is among six new historical highway markers recently approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

The marker to honor Lynchburg’s now-vanished Paul Laurence Dunbar High School will recall that the school opened to African-American high school students in 1923 during segregation. Its dedicated staff included Clarence W. Seay, principal from 1938 to 1968, and counselor Pauline Weeden Maloney. 

During much of the 20th century, “The school’s cultural, literary, and athletic programs made it a focal point for the African-American community,” the sign’s approved text states. 

The original Dunbar high school building was demolished in 1979. The marker is sponsored by the Dunbar High School Memorial Wall Committee.

The Virginia highway marker program began in 1927. Currently there are more than 2,500 official state markers, most of which are maintained by Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOT’s authority.

The manufacturing cost of each new highway marker is covered by its sponsor.

More information about the Historical Highway Marker Program is available on the website of the Department of Historic Resources at www.dhr.virginia.gov/.