Governor Spanberger Issues Proclamation for 75th Anniversary of the Moton High School Walkout

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today issued a proclamation recognizing April 23, 2026, as the 75th Anniversary of the 1951 Moton High School Walkout.

The proclamation honors Barbara Rose Johns and the students of Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia - whose courage helped spark the legal case that became part of Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared segregated public schools unconstitutional.

"Barbara Johns and her fellow students showed all Virginians that history doesn't necessarily belong to the people already in power - it belongs to anyone willing to stand up for what's right, no matter how young, no matter the odds," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "These students from Farmville helped change what was possible for every child who came after them. Three-quarters of a century later, their example still calls us forward. I join all Virginians in honoring these students on this 75th anniversary of the Moton High School Walkout. Their example endures even today."

Read below or click here for the full text of the proclamation.

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