Ferdinand Day was a life-long community leader and the first black member and chair of the Alexandria School Board. Day served for nearly two decades on the board and was instrumental in integrating the city's public schools. (photo courtesy Alexandria Living Legends)
Brothers Josephus and Noah Lyles areT.C. Willams graduates and professional track and field stars. In 2017, Noah set a world record in the 300m at the 2017 USA Track & Field Indoor Championships. Both Noah and Josephus are signed with Adidas. (file photo)
Tynita Butts graduated from T.C. Williams and is a five-time NCAA All-American in the high jump, a three-time NCAA All-American in the long jump and Conference USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year. (file photo)
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr., a graduate of T.C. Williams High School, is returning to Alexandria this July to serve as Superintendent. Dr. Hutchings, was the former director of pre-K-12 initiatives with ACPS. For the past five years, Dr. Hutchings has been the superintendent of Shaker Heights Schools, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. (file photo)
LaChina Robinson is a graduate of T.C. Williams and was a three-year basketball starter and All-Met player her junior and senior years. Robinson attended Wake Forest University and started all four years and made the 1999 ACC All-Freshman Team. She now works as a sports commentator for Fox Sports and ESPN. (file photo)
Alexandrian Samuel Tucker was a graduate of Howard University and lawyer in Alexandria. Tucker fought for the desegregation of public schools. In 1939, after being denied access to the Queen Street library for being black, Tucker organized a sit-in ultimately resulting in public access to the Alexandria library. Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School is named after this Alexandrian civil rights activist and lawyer. (photo/Alexandria Library)
Ardelia Hunter graduated from Parker-Gray High School in 1946 and then joined ACPS as an elementary school teacher at Charles-Houston Elementary School in 1955 and then William Ramsay Elementary School in 1966. She became assistant principal at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School in 1970 and was appointed principal of Lyles-Crouch Elementary School in 1975. She became principal of Patrick Henry Elementary School in 1980 and retired in 1989.
Alexandria native Earl Lloyd, who broke professional basketball’s color barrier more than 60 years ago, played ball at Parker-Gray High School. After graduating in 1946, Lloyd attended West Virginia State College where he was a two-time All-American. In 1950, Lloyd was drafted in the ninth round of the NBA draft by the Washington Capitols, making him the first black player in the league. (Photo/Alexandria Library)
Keith Burns graduated form T.C. Williams and played 12 seasons for the Denver Broncos, with whom he won two Super Bowls. He was honored with the 2002 Ed Block Courage Award given by each NFL team to the player most respected by his teammates. (file photo)
Herman Boone coached the 1971 T. C. Williams High School football team to a 13–0 season, to the state championship, and to be runners-up at the national championship. Boone's story is the basis for the film Remember the Titans." Denzel Washington portrayed Boone in the film. (file photo)
Credits:
Black History Month: A few notable graduates and supporters of ACPS