Armstrong High School (Richmond, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Armstrong High School, part of the Richmond Public Schools
system, is a high school
located in Richmond
, Virginia
, with grades 9-12.
Known at first as the Richmond Colored Normal School, Armstrong was the first public school in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy
, for African American
students (see racial segregation). Founded in the early 1870s, the Colored Normal School was initially financed by the federal
Freedmen's Bureau
until it was made part of the Richmond city school system
in 1876. The school's name was changed to Armstrong High School in a 1909 transition to a new building.
The school's namesake
is former Union General Samuel Chapman Armstrong
, a white commander
of a U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) regiment during the American Civil War
. General Armstrong later founded the Hampton Institute, a historically black college
now known as Hampton University
in Hampton, Virginia
. Among General Armstrong's legacies in education is the fact that he was a principal mentor of Dr. Booker T. Washington
.
In 1909, the school was established at First and Leigh Streets and named in honor of Union General Samuel Chapman Armstrong
, founder of Hampton University
. Armstrong moved to a new, larger facility in 1923 at the corner of Prentis and Leigh Streets (now the Adult Career Development Center
), and then to a new location, 1611 North 31st Street, in 1951.
In 2004, Armstrong merged with nearby John F. Kennedy High School, continuing to use the Armstrong name, colors and mascot, despite using the much newer and air conditioned Kennedy building.
At the current location, Armstrong High School is one of only two of Richmond's public schools which are physically located slightly outside the corporate limits of the independent city
in the East End
. The Kennedy High School complex and Fairfield Court Elementary School were built in the 1960s on land in a small portion of Henrico County
adjacent to Interstate 64
which was cutoff from the rest of the county when the Interstate highway was built.
Richmond Public Schools
This school division contains public schools serving the independent city of Richmond, Virginia. It is occasionally described locally as Richmond City Public Schools to emphasize its connection to the independent city rather than the Richmond-Petersburg region at large or the rural Richmond County...
system, is a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, with grades 9-12.
Known at first as the Richmond Colored Normal School, Armstrong was the first public school in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, for African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
students (see racial segregation). Founded in the early 1870s, the Colored Normal School was initially financed by the federal
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
Freedmen's Bureau
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands
The Freedmen's Bureau, was a U.S. federal government agency that aided distressed freedmen in 1865–1869, during the Reconstruction era of the United States....
until it was made part of the Richmond city school system
School division
-Canada:In Canada the term is used to the area controlled by a school board and is used interchangeably with school district, including in the formal name of the board. For example, see List of Alberta school boards.-United States:...
in 1876. The school's name was changed to Armstrong High School in a 1909 transition to a new building.
The school's namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
is former Union General Samuel Chapman Armstrong
Samuel C. Armstrong
Samuel Chapman Armstrong was an American educator and a commissioned officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, a white commander
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of a U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) regiment during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. General Armstrong later founded the Hampton Institute, a historically black college
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
now known as Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
. Among General Armstrong's legacies in education is the fact that he was a principal mentor of Dr. Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
.
History
Armstrong High School's location has changed three times since 1909, in 1923, 1951, and again in 2004. It is now in its fourth location.In 1909, the school was established at First and Leigh Streets and named in honor of Union General Samuel Chapman Armstrong
Samuel C. Armstrong
Samuel Chapman Armstrong was an American educator and a commissioned officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, founder of Hampton University
Hampton University
Hampton University is a historically black university located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It was founded by black and white leaders of the American Missionary Association after the American Civil War to provide education to freedmen.-History:...
. Armstrong moved to a new, larger facility in 1923 at the corner of Prentis and Leigh Streets (now the Adult Career Development Center
Adult Career Development Center (Richmond, Virginia)
Adult Career Development Center, part of the Richmond Public Schools system, is an Alternative School located in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1975 the A.C.D.C...
), and then to a new location, 1611 North 31st Street, in 1951.
In 2004, Armstrong merged with nearby John F. Kennedy High School, continuing to use the Armstrong name, colors and mascot, despite using the much newer and air conditioned Kennedy building.
At the current location, Armstrong High School is one of only two of Richmond's public schools which are physically located slightly outside the corporate limits of the independent city
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
in the East End
East End (Richmond, Virginia)
The East End of Richmond, Virginia is the quadrant of the City of Richmond, Virginia, and more loosely the Richmond metropolitan area, east of the downtown.-Geographic boundaries:...
. The Kennedy High School complex and Fairfield Court Elementary School were built in the 1960s on land in a small portion of Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
adjacent to Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
which was cutoff from the rest of the county when the Interstate highway was built.
Notable alumni
- Virginia Estelle RandolphVirginia RandolphVirginia Estelle Randolph was an African American educator in Henrico County, Virginia. She was named the United States' first "Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher" by her Superintendent of Schools, Jackson T. Davis, and she led a program funded by the Jeanes Foundation to upgrade vocational...
, internationally-recognized educator with Henrico County Public SchoolsHenrico County Public SchoolsThe Henrico County Public Schools system is a Virginia school division that operates as a functional and independent branch of the Henrico County, Virginia, county government, and administers public schools in the county. Henrico County Public Schools has five International Baccalaureate schools--J.R...
- Richmond City CouncilRichmond City CouncilRichmond City Council may refer to:In Canada:*The Richmond City Council In the United States of America:*The Richmond City Council *The Richmond City Council...
member A. Carl Prince, Baptist pastor, the first African American Baptist Minister to serve on the Richmond City Council, academic matriculation and continuing education, Virginia Union University, University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, Howard University School of Divinity