A few individuals are being remembered at two county schools.
New names for Stonewall Middle School in Manassas and Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas have been approved by the Prince William County School Board.
Stonewall Middle School will be Unity Braxton Middle School, a name that recognizes Celestine S. and Carroll Braxton, according to a release from Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS).
Celestine S. Braxton taught for PWCS when segregation was in effect at schools in Virginia. In addition to teaching at Antioch-Macrae Elementary School in Haymarket, Celestine S. Braxton was a teacher at Marsteller Middle School in Bristow and Stonewall Middle School.
Carroll Braxton served as a United States Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeant and was among 20,000 African-Americans who were trained at Camp Montford Point — a segregation site in Jacksonville, N.C. — between 1942 and 1949.
“Unity represents the desire we have for our students at this time. It means at one with others. It is oneness. This unity is possible because of Celestine and Carroll Braxton,” said Gainesville District School Board Member and renaming committee member Jennifer Wall. “It is my honor to support the name Unity Braxton Middle School.”
The Unity Braxton Middle School auditorium is being named after John G. Miller, who served as Stonewall Middle School’s principal for 18 years.
Stonewall Jackson High School is going to be called Unity Reed High School.
It bears the name of Arthur Reed, a former Stonewall Jackson High School security assistant.
“It is really great when we have an engaged community,” Wall said. “There are just so many great people that could be on the name of this school, but ultimately the students have an outpouring of love and respect for this African-American man, Mr. Reed, a man who is the embodiment of the school. He had a huge impact within the school community.”
