Armstrong Isn’t What It’s Made Out to Be

Docudrama to Tell the Story of Richmond’s Oldest Predominantly Black High School

By Justin Mattingly
—

Originally posted on Richmond Times-Dispatch

Polyte Davis wants people to see Armstrong High School differently.

“We want to show people that Armstrong isn’t what it’s made out to be,” said Davis, a senior at the East End high school, the city’s oldest predominantly black high school, where 86 percent of students come from economically disadvantaged homes. “Not to say we don’t have problems, but we are a school and we have a lot of intelligent people.

“Armstrong’s a great school.”

Davis, along with some of his high school peers, is teaming up with the University of Richmond to tell the story of the school through a documentary drama titled, “The Spirit of Armstrong,” which will be performed 6 p.m. Thursday in the high school’s auditorium.

Among the college participants is Raven Bullard, a freshman at the University of Richmond who came to Richmond this year from St. Louis.

Bullard said she had no ties to the city’s public school system but wanted to get involved, so she enrolled in a class — “Documenting a Historic Black High School: A Richmond Community Project” — aimed at sharing the history of Armstrong.

“It’s a cycle,” said Bullard, of the trauma children who grow up in communities with too much crime and not enough resources endure. “The same thing was happening in my community.”

Students line up to enter on the first day of school at the combined Armstrong and Kennedy High Schools. Photo by Joe Mahoney

The cohort of students researched Armstrong archives, listened to oral histories and crafted original poetry to perform. Now they’re ready to tell the story.

The school, which a division history says was established by the Freedman’s Bureau in 1865, was named to honor General Samuel C. Armstrong, the educator and founder of the Hampton Institute. The school merged with John F. Kennedy High School in 2004.

Armstrong hasn’t always had an active alumni association, but after a lack of events commemorating the school’s 150th anniversary, an alumni coalition gained traction.

“We needed to come together to preserve the history,” said Dennis Harvey, a 1966 graduate of the school who serves as the president of the alumni coalition.

The docudrama brings together current students like Davis and alumni such as Harvey and the Rev. Josine C. Osborne, a 1967 Armstrong alumna, along with eight college students.

A total of 17 people are part of the cast. They performed the docudrama — written by students — last semester, but have since revamped it.

UR professors Laura Browder and Patricia Herrera came up with the idea for the class for their community problem solving seminar last fall.