Let’s take a moment to applaud the good work of the Hanover Branch NAACP. In a county that’s more that 80% white, you might think highlighting the concerns of African Americans is one of those jobs that isn’t worth the trouble. Fortunately, leaders of the local chapter of the civil rights organization know it’s a fight worth having.

Last week and this week, the organization, in partnership with the Hanover County School Board, arranged two ceremonies commemorating the courage of the eight students who “led the effort to integrate the county’s public schools sixty years ago.” 

Yes, this was a long time coming and quite an achievement, considering the current political climate, which trends toward whitewashing American history.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Hanover County School Board for their support and recognition of the monumental steps taken by these students towards racial equality,” said Patricia Hunter-Jordan, president of the Hanover NAACP. “These plaques serve as a permanent tribute to their bravery and the significant strides they made in transforming our educational system.”

The plaques will hang at the two schools they attended, Patrick Henry High School and the recently renamed Mechanicsville High School. We do remember the former name of Mechanicsville High School. While many Confederate apologists said we would forget immediately and that part of history would be lost forever, they were wrong about that also. It is important to remember the name of the school was chosen in 1959, during the era of Massive Resistance, which saw Virginia actively oppose the desegregation mandates of the Supreme Court. The continued advocacy of the Hanover NAACP is part of the reason the school on Mechanicsville Turnpike no longer bears the names of a Confederate military leader and his commander-in-chief, who would be indicted for treason.

The Hanover County NAACP filed a federal lawsuit against the School Board in 2019. They argued the Confederate-themed names and mascots at Lee-Davis High School created a hostile environment for students and violated their constitutional rights. (As a former student of that school, I can testify to that.) While the lawsuit was dismissed in May 2020, the NAACP was planning to appeal.

Their persistent efforts, combined with a national reckoning on racial issues following the murder of George Floyd, intensified calls for change.

In 2020, the Hanover County School Board narrowly voted to change the name of the high school and nearby Stonewall Jackson Middle School. The high school is now Mechanicsville High School and the middle school became Bell Creek Middle School.

The work of the Hanover NAACP, which was established in 1946, at First Union Baptist Church continues. Recently they have brought attention to the county’s search for a Pamunkey Regional Library director. The group expressed concerns about comments by members of the trustee board tasked with filling the position, which “suggest a departure from the principles of inclusivity and educational merit,” according to a press release from the group.

“The library is a cornerstone of democracy, providing access to information and opportunities for all,” Hunter-Jordan states in the release. “It is imperative that the board recognizes the need for experienced and credentialed professionals who can preserve and enhance the integrity of our library services.”

We’re reminded of the phrase “good trouble,” when we think of the efforts of this branch of the NAACP. For those who aren’t familiar with the phrase, we urge you to seek out the meaning and go find some to get into. In Hanover, like many other places around the country, it’s not that hard to find, once you start looking.