ROANOKE, Va. – The Roanoke City Public School Board’s Naming Committee wants to name the administration building after William B. Robertson.
As we’ve reported before, Robertson was a roanoke native and an educator, and the first Black advisor to the Virginia governor.
Robertson passed away in 2021, but his legacy as a trailblazer and civic leader lives on.
On Tuesday night, board members talked about the importance of recognizing diverse public figures.
“Being an educator in higher education for 12 years, who walk into buildings that are named after people that never look like them and have pictures of presidents or professors that never look like them in the buildings part of creating an inclusive environment is changing that narrative and changing the photos they see when kids come in and changing the buildings they walk in,” Natasha Saunders, Roanoke City Public School Board member said.
The Roanoke City School Board accepted naming submissions through October 11 of last year, as we reported.
The board will vote on the recommendation of the naming committee on April 11.