“From the Archives” Pioneer Black Educators from Saint Mary Parish

Several pioneers in education for black children in Alexandria were members of Saint Mary parish and rest in our cemetery. Educating black slaves was illegal in Virginia before the Civil War. Any free blacks wanting to educate their children had to send them out of the state. There were no black public schools here until several years after the war ended.

John F. Parker, one of the outstanding pioneers, was born a slave in Fairfax County. He somehow found a way to educate himself, both as a scholar and pianist. After his emancipation in 1861, he worked at a variety of jobs, including time as a lighthouse keeper on the Potomac. In 1872, he was hired as a sub-assistant teacher at the new Snowden School for black boys. In less than a year he had risen to assistant principal. He was eventually appointed the permanent principal, a position he held for 43 years. A devout Catholic, he was among the parishioners of Saint Mary who helped found Saint Joseph Church for African American Catholics in Northern Virginia at 711 North Columbus Street in 1914. After his death in 1922, his friends and former students who held him in high esteem donated his tombstone.

Parker-Gray, Alexandria’s only black high school, was named for Mr. Parker. The segregated school graduated its first four-year high school class in 1936. Over time, the school gained a reputation for its dedicated teaching staff, who despite the constraints of segregation, were able to provide a positive learning experience. Parker-Gray High School moved to a new building at 1207 Madison Street in 1950, and the old school on Cameron Street became the Charles Houston Elementary School. The high school was phased out during the 1964-1965 school year, following integration of Alexandria’s schools. Parker-Gray was used as an integrated middle school from 1965 until 1979, when it closed its doors.

Although the school bearing Mr. Parker’s name no longer exists, the neighborhood where it was located is now known as the Parker Gray Historical District.

– Kitty Guy, Parish Historian

Throughout 2020, the Basilica of Saint Mary will present “From the Archives.” It is a weekly feature online and in our bulletin spotlighting the history of the parish. All of our “From the Archives” features are located here.