Raymond Lee Bell
Raymond Lee Bell was the first Black person appointed to the Charlottesville School Board. He was appointed in 1963. [1]
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Biography
Bell's father moved to Charlottesville in 1917 and opened a funeral home. Bell was drafted into the armed forces in 1944 for service during World War II. At the time, he was attending what is now Hampton University. After the war, he finished his education at Boston University with a degree in 1952.
Bell moved back to Charlottesville in 1953 to settle. [2]
Bell was approached by City Councilors Lindsey B. Mount and Bernard J. Haggerty to see if he would serve on the school board.
Oral History Collection
1980
Bell was interviewed on December 18, 1980 as part of the project From Porch Swings to Patios: An Oral History of Charlottesville's Neighborhoods. The project was prepared by the Department of Community Planning Advisory Board and students of the University of Virginia.
Listen to the audio below:
<play audio>http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/realmedia/audio/raceplace/porchswings/rbell/rbell_56.mp3 </play audio>
1993
In 1993, Bell spoke to an audience about his memories of Charlottesville and the Vinegar Hill Community. The recording was captured by the Albemarle County Historical Society.
Listen to the audio below:
<play audio>File:19930328MemoriesofVinegarHill-RayBell.MP3 </play audio>
References
- ↑ Web. Interview of Ray Bell on December 22, 1980, Prepared by the Department of Community Planning Advisory Board and students of the University of Virginia, From Porch Swings to Patios: An Oral History of Charlottesville's Neighborhoods, retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ↑ Web. Interview of Raymond Bell, George Gilliam and Mason Mills, The Ground Beneath Our Feet project, retrieved April 25, 2016.