Artifacts

Princess Anne County Training School (PACTS) was the first school for black students in Princess Anne County. Prior to PACTS, black students were often educated through black churches due to segregation laws and customs of that time period. Eventually, black students had an option to stay within their segregated school and community or experience desegregation and integration through the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). These individuals took a pupil test and communicated their willingness to integrate into VBCPS. In the meantime, other individuals stayed at PACTS, and in 1962, the Princess Anne County Training School changed its name to Union Kempsville High School because as students graduated, colleges assumed they only studied a trade and not received a formal education. The name of the high school was in honor of Union Baptist Church where the first African-American students were educated while the training school was under construction. Furthermore, Kempsville was in the name indicating the area in which the school was located. After over 30 years of operation, Union Kempsville High School graduated its last class in 1969 due to the city-wide integration of schools.

The artifacts on this page demonstrate the successful accomplishment of a community. PACTS was seen as an educational safe haven for black families during segregation. Therefore, the museum provides context to the historical times and continues to preserve the history of a group of black students in the city of Virginia Beach. This museum contains historical knowledge of segregation, desegregation, and integration. Additionally, it provides understanding of the lived experiences of black residents in Virginia Beach. Today, the legacy of the Princess Anne County Training School-Union Kempsville High School continues with the establishment of the museum, which shares the stories of sacrifice and resilience of families and community. Overall, this museum highlights the decades' journey of a select group that valued the importance of education. The museum is located within Virginia Beach City Public Schools' Renaissance Academy.