Lillian S. Blackwell (1911-1996) was a trailblazing civil rights activist who fought to desegregate Fairfax County, Virginia.
From public schools to movie theaters, Blackwell played an important role in making sure everyone, no matter their race, was treated equally in Fairfax County.
The mother of six organized the first African American Girl Scout troop in Fairfax County, all while working as a seamstress, an employment agency runner and a school bus driver.
Blackwell’s legacy will live on thanks to The Black/African American Historical Marker Project — an initiative from the Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors to showcase the county’s diverse history.
Fairfax County students were asked to nominate noteworthy people and places in the African American community for new markers highlighting historic events, people or locations.
On Saturday, the first historic marker honoring Blackwell was unveiled at Oakton High School in Vienna.
New marker honors ‘sacred ground’
“She devoted her life to making this county and Northern Virginia better for everybody. Not only for Black folks, but for white folks as well, because she brought us all together,” Preston Blackwell said.
The son of Lillian Blackwell was joined by his sister Phyllis and other family members at the unveiling ceremony. His voice broke as he spoke about the importance of the new historical marker.
“My mother was raised 300 yards — on the other side of this school. I was raised about three-eights of a mile up the road. We grew up in this neighborhood, we walked barefoot in this neighborhood,” Preston Blackwell said. “To us, this is sacred ground.”
Congressman Gerry Connolly, a Democrat representing Virginia’s 11th District, spoke to WTOP at Saturday’s ceremony.
“Today is the writing of a chapter that should have been written years ago in Fairfax County,” Connolly said. “Our history is filled with historic figures that have never been recognized for bringing change to end segregation like the person we are honoring today, Lillian Blackwell.”
South County High School students Meron Fikru, Delano Telford and Maddie Hagg submitted the nomination for a historical marker honoring Lillian Blackwell.
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