Black History Month Spotlight: The Faces of Capitol Square

February 26, 2026

Do you ever wonder about the names on the buildings or the faces on the statues you pass by every day?

In 1951, 16-year-old Barbara Johns led a student strike to protest the poor conditions at her racially segregated school. The protest led to a court case where Virginia Civil rights lawyer Oliver Hill served as lead counsel to help bring a suit against the school board. Davis v. School Board of Prince Edward County became one of the five cases combined into the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Decision.

The next time you see their names, remember it was a student’s courage and a lawyer’s dedication that helped ensure “separate but equal” is unconstitutional.