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FXBG - City of Fredericksburg, VA

Walker-Grant High School Class of 1950 Graduation

In June 1950, the largest Walker-Grant High School graduating class, needing a location for their commencement ceremonies, were denied access through the front doors of the Dorothy Hart Community Center due to the color of their skin. With help from Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), the graduates held their ceremony at the church, but not before protesting in front of the Dorothy Hart Community Center with signs that read “This Entrance Closed to US.”

The Protest

Read an account of the graduation and protest, provided by Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site).

Grace Garnett Sprow interview on 1950 Walker Grant High School Protest
Listen as Grace Garnett Sprow, a 1950 graduate of Walker-Grant High School, recounts the 1950 protest that occurred at the Fredericksburg Community Center. The interview was done in 2015 by Joan Olson.

Reenactment of the Walker-Grant High School Class of 1950 Protest
See the reenactment in 2020 of the 1950 Walker-Grant High School Protest.

Unveiling of the Historical Panel

On February 10, 2022, the City of Fredericksburg unveiled a new historic panel in front of the Dorothy Hart Community Center, the site of a protest by the 1950 graduating class of Walker-Grant High School.

Watch the Unveiling Ceremony