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Virginia School Named After Confederate Solider Renamed In Honor Of NASA's Katherine Johnson

Out with the old, in with the…better! This Virginia middle school was once named after a Confederate soldier and now its name will be replaced with a Black shero. According to USA Today, Sidney Lanier Middle School was established over 60 years ago and was named after an American poet who also happened to be a private in the Confederate army. Now, it will be renamed to honor NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson. Johnson is known for her contributions to helping NASA put the first man on the moon and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama at age 97 in 2015. In September 2020, the Fairfax city school board made the decision after a majority of residents called to have the name changed. Over 300 new names for the school were submitted and the approval to rename the school was made on Nov. 2, 2020. Other names in the running included Fairfax Woods, Legacy Independence and City, and the late great Maya Angelou....

Shanique Yates

Jun 11, 2021