Historic Virginia school for Black children reopens as museum after $6.2m restoration

A historic school in Virginia that once provided education to Black children during the Jim Crow era has reopened as a museum and community centre. The former Union Street School in Leesburg has undergone a major refurbishment, giving the 1884 building a new purpose after decades of use as a storage facility. The museum officially opened on November 14, following a restoration project costing approximately £4.7 million ($6.2 million), according to the Loudoun County government project page.A new era as a community hubThe building, located in the heart of Leesburg, has been given a new role while keeping its historical importance. According to the Loudoun County project page, it will serve two main purposes: a museum and a community space. The museum will help visitors learn about Black education and community life in Loudoun County during racial segregation. The building will also provide space for community meetings and other local activities. The county's official project description says the work aimed to protect the building's historic structure while making it suitable for a working museum and educational centre. The project is also intended to tell a more inclusive story of the local community. Before the opening, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Sheriff Chapman had been invited to attend the official ceremony and ribbon cutting.