Community Members Reflect on Bray School Move
W&M Pres. Emeritus Reveley, Rep. Wittman, Sen. Mason, Councilwoman Ramsey and others speak on historic event
“How pleasant it is to move the Bray School, many things to CW, and William and Mary too,” First Baptist Church Director of Music Reginald Fox sang before a packed crowd, behind him, the Williamsburg Bray School.
Friday, Feb. 10, members of the Williamsburg community attended the Bray School relocation ceremony. Established in the 18th century by The Associates of Dr. Bray, an English Anglican charity, the Williamsburg Bray School taught free and enslaved Black children.
It was finally moved to its permanent site by Expert House Movers following a research by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation which uncovered its original location in 2020.
Following a private visit with College President Katherine Rowe, College first gentleman Bruce Jacobson and Chief Diversity Officer Fanchon Glover at the Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved, Gov. Glenn Youngkin HON ’22 spoke at the relocation ceremony.
“The College of William and Mary and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation are such important pillars in this community, in Virginia, and across America,” Youngkin said, “and I dare say, around the world, and another important pillar is the great First Baptist Church.”
Other attendees included Bray School descendants, first lady Suzanne Youngkin, CW President and CEO Cliff Fleet ’91, M.A. ’93, J.D. ’95, M.B.A. ’95, former College Rector, BOV member and Va. Health Secretary John E. Littel P ’22, Va. Education Secretary Aimee Guidera, Mayor Douglas Pons, Rowe, College President Emeritus W. Taylor Reveley III, Rep. Rob Wittman, State Sen. Monty Mason ’89, Del. Mike Mullin, BOV member Douglas Bunch '02, J.D. '06, Councilwoman Barb Ramsey ’75, College Chancellor Robert Gates ’65, L.H.D. ’98, College Rector Charles E. Poston J.D. ’74, P ’02, ’06 and Linda Thomas-Greenfield HON ’23, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
“We're grateful and honored to have Governor Youngkin, Chancellor Gates, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield with us and so many other dignitaries from our region,” Rowe said.
Rowe noted that the research began when Chancellor Professor Emeritus of English Dr. Terry L. Meyers started doing the archival work for this discovery nearly twenty years ago. Rowe said Fleet, who read that research, reached out with interest in the project.
Rowe also pointed to a connection between the Bray School and the Brafferton School, which was an indigenous grammar school operated by the College. The College honored the Brafferton’s 300th anniversary at the Charter Day ceremony, in which its complicated history was addressed by guest speakers.
“Recent scholarship has identified that the estate of Robert Boyle, inventor and scientist, funded both projects,” she said.
Reveley, who served as president of the College for almost ten years, thought positively of the event.
“I think everything has just gone incredibly well. Getting the Bray House from our campus over to CW in one piece, on a day which it didn't rain,” Reveley said. “And then the Charter Day ceremony, it's unusually special, on our 330th birthday.”
Reveley spoke on the significance of Youngkin’s visit.
“It was clear by his presence that it really was a big deal,” he said, “in resting that house, and now obviously recognizing the fact that it [was for] educated enslaved children. Very significant.”
Mason, the Democrat representing the College in the Virginia Senate, echoed Reveley’s sentiments.
“The governor did a nice job and I was glad he was here,” Mason said. “I'm very appreciative. Any time you have a governor in your zip code or area code, it's a good thing.”
He also mentioned other historical projects.
“Oh, man, this is so great,” Mason added. “I mean, you know, and 250th anniversary of the last class at the Bray School, and we'll put that on this foundation. Then we're going to reconstruct the First Baptist Church right next door just in advance of the 250th anniversary of that church in 1776.”
And we just want to make Williamsburg, Jamestown, the historic triangle, Yorktown, the epicenter of the 250th celebration for the country. Because don't forget, Phi Beta Kappa started in 1776. And we have so many things that coincide with the birthplace of the nation that started right here.”
Wittman, the Republican representing the historic triangle in Congress, also reflected on the ceremony.
“I think it's an incredible day for the region and for Williamsburg, for the College, for leaders in the community, for folks that are really interested in the full scope of our history,” Wittman said. “And I think the governor put it incredibly well, and that is, this is really about: how do we make sure we portray every aspect of our history, because it's so rich, but it's also so informing, you know, people need to learn about all those elements.”
Wittman highlighted the complicated history of the Bray School.
“And listen, our nation's come through a significant number of challenges. This is a great way to learn that and understand too,” Wittman said, “what was happening at that time in the young students that were here at the Bray School and what they were enduring at the time.”
And in spite of that, what they did to be able to improve themselves and the real example about what education does to people. So today is a real example of that. I think it's a shining light, not just for Williamsburg, but for the Commonwealth and for the nation.”
Wittman found the whole moving process moving.
“Boy, I tell you, if that wasn't moving in, in all senses of the word, literally. That's right. But what a great day,” he added.
Ramsey, who was elected to the Williamsburg City Council in 2016, also spoke about the event.
“The governor was there, a lot of other people,” Ramsey said, “being on city council, that was just another reason for me to be there and support the efforts of Colonial Williamsburg, William and Mary and the city.”
The move comes amidst the federal government’s $357,000 allocation for Phase one of the city’s African American Heritage Trail and the Bray School Lab’s ongoing research efforts.
“We have to remind ourselves frequently that our understanding of our collective history is constantly growing, and it’s growing in truth and it’s growing in clarity,” Youngkin said.
“In this building, that we are celebrating today, enslaved and free children were given the new title of 'scholar,'” Bray School Lab Director Maureen Elgersman Lee said, “and were taught the tenets of the Anglican faith, they were taught comportment and other useful marketable skills, but perhaps most importantly, we know that they were taught to read, and with this their worlds opened up.”
