The VCU Libraries is delighted to announce the release of a new addition to the VCU Libraries Digital Collections: the Edward H. Peeples Prince Edward County (Va.) Public Schools Collection. From 1959 to 1964, Prince Edward County, Virginia, chose to close its public schools rather than integrate them. Through photographs, documents, and maps, this collection explores the history of Prince Edward County segregation in the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Edward H. Peeples, Emeritus professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, photographed over 100 images of schools in the county and environs in 1962 and 1963, documenting the disparity between African American and white facilities. Also included are contemporary images of the schools and events surrounding the anniversary of the 1951 student strike and other occasions, as well as additional published and unpublished materials on the topic.
The Edward Peeples Collection will be celebrated as the 1,999,999th addition to the VCU Libraries during VCU's 2,000,000th volume ceremonies on October 2, beginning at 2 p.m. in Cabell Library. The event will be simulcast at Tompkins-McCaw Library on the MCV Campus.
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