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2015 SESSION

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HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 239 Commemorating the life and legacy of Janie Porter Barrett.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 13, 2015

 

WHEREAS, 2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Janie Porter Barrett, a dedicated educator and passionate civic leader who worked to enhance the quality of life and education for African American women in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, born in Athens, Georgia, in 1865, Janie Porter was educated at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, one of the first training schools for freed people, which later became Hampton University; and

WHEREAS, Janie Porter served the youths of Georgia and the Commonwealth as a teacher before marrying Harris Barrett in 1889 and settling in Hampton, where they raised four children; and

WHEREAS, Janie Barrett was an active leader in the Hampton community, establishing the Locust Street Social Settlement, which hosted vocational clubs and classes, as well as youth athletic programs; and

WHEREAS, in 1908, Janie Barrett founded and became the first president of the Virginia State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs; during her 32-year tenure as president, the organization purchased a farm in Hanover County that became the Industrial Home School for Colored Girls; and

WHEREAS, later renamed the Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls, the school opened in 1915 and taught vocational skills; Janie Barrett also actively worked to prevent the exploitation and mistreatment of former students; and

WHEREAS, in the 1920s, Janie Barrett continued to advocate for equal rights and social justice as a member of the Virginia Commission on Interracial Cooperation, the Richmond Urban League, and the National Association of Commissions for Women; and

WHEREAS, Janie Barrett died in 1948; the school she founded was later renamed the Janie Porter Barrett School for Girls, in honor of her exceptional legacy of care and support for the African American community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the life and legacy of Janie Porter Barrett hereby be commemorated on the 150th anniversary of her birth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Historical Society and the Hanover Heritage Alliance as an expression of the House of Delegates’ admiration for Janie Porter Barrett’s achievements as an educator and community leader.