Check out the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum. It is located at 5100 Cleveland Street, Virginia Beach. It is inside the new Renaissance Academy. The pictures below were taken during the ribbon cutting ceremony on June 26, 2010
Princess Anne County Training School was the first and only school for “colored children” in Princess Anne County, Virginia, which is now known as the city of Virginia Beach. Under the Princess Anne County Training Association, the county’s African American parents, communities, teachers, churches and community organizations raised money to purchase property to build a high school to provide better educational advantages for African American children in the county.
In 1934, a temporary school site was established on the property of the predominantly black Union Baptist Church (located on South Boulevard, in the vicinity of present-day Mt. Trashmore) until a four-room building was completed in 1938 at the intersection of Cleveland Street and Witchduck Road. In 1949, construction started for additional space for Princess Anne County Training School. The additional space included four new classrooms, a cafeteria and lavatories. According to Princess Anne County records, in 1950, a 15-acre site adjacent to the training was purchased to build a new high school for “Negro children.” The high school addition was completed in 1953. Among the new features were 14 classrooms, auditorium, home economic facilities, and a gymnasium.
Princess Anne County Training School later expanded in size and the facility and was renamed Union Kempsville High School in 1962. In 1969, the high school closed after city-wide integration of schools started in Virginia Beach. The last class graduated in 1969.
In 1934, a temporary school site was established on the property of the predominantly black Union Baptist Church (located on South Boulevard, in the vicinity of present-day Mt. Trashmore) until a four-room building was completed in 1938 at the intersection of Cleveland Street and Witchduck Road. In 1949, construction started for additional space for Princess Anne County Training School. The additional space included four new classrooms, a cafeteria and lavatories. According to Princess Anne County records, in 1950, a 15-acre site adjacent to the training was purchased to build a new high school for “Negro children.” The high school addition was completed in 1953. Among the new features were 14 classrooms, auditorium, home economic facilities, and a gymnasium.
Princess Anne County Training School later expanded in size and the facility and was renamed Union Kempsville High School in 1962. In 1969, the high school closed after city-wide integration of schools started in Virginia Beach. The last class graduated in 1969.
Alumni Featured in Videos on the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Website. Click here to access the site and the videos.
