WELDON — The Weldon City Schools held a dedication ceremony on Thursday in naming Weldon Stem High School Career Academies’ gymnasium after Ralph J. Bunche. A name placed on the front bottom left of the gymnasium belonged to Bunche, the first African-American to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation in Israel, and also known as an American political scientist, diplomat and having a role in developing the formation of the United Nations in the mid-20th century. Clarence Hedgepeth Jr., Class of 1966 president, remarked on changing the name from Weldon High School Gymnasium to Ralph J. Bunche Gymnasium. Hedgepeth said for those who are old enough to remember, the school was named Ralph J. Bunche but was later named Weldon High School and then Weldon STEM High School Career Academies. He said the Class of 1966 felt the gym needed to be renamed and give honor to Bunche. “Thanks to all who allowed the Ralph J. Bunch High School graduating class of 1966 the opportunity to do this,” Hedgepeth said. Another member of the CLass of 1966, Mike Backus, took the podium in front of the gym and acknowledged the Roanoke Valley and school district for improving learning. Backus asked people in the audience to raise their hands if they ever went to the high school. “I acknowledge the fact that you have with all the hands that were raised your soldiers,” he said regarding the nearly whole audience raising their hands. “I want you to use us for your agenda and to make sure that we all move in the right direction to make Weldon a better place because these are the future workforce.” Backus also acknowledged Terry Alston, public information officer of the school district, by giving her a bouquet of flowers for helping the Class of 1966 with the name change. Chairman O.D. Sykes and member James Williams of the district’s board of education thanked everyone on behalf of the board. “We are grateful, we are elated to have had this opportunity to make sure that this gymnasium bears the name of Ralph J. Bunche,” Sykes said. “We know what it means to the individuals that graduated from Ralph J Bunche, and it is certainly our pleasure to make sure that the name Ralph J. Bunche is seen and viewed throughout the community.” Superintendent Michael A. Myrick took to the podium and said it was an honor for him to acknowledge the Class of 1966. “Your dedication, commitment and contribution to the Weldon Stem High School Career Academies and this community are extremely appreciative,” Myrick said. “The mere presence of Dr. Bunche’s name emblazoned on the gymnasium sparked curiosity amongst our students and those new to the Weldon city community to explore his legacy and contributions to society. To our students who are present today, and those students who are listening online, in addition to researching and Dr. Bunche, I challenge each of you to also research the Ralph J. Bunche Class of 1966 and understand the challenges that they faced as students of color in the 1960s.” He then asked the Class of 1966 individuals to raise their hands to be recognized. “Thank you again to the Class of 1966 for highlighting and recognizing this rich history,” Myrick said. “Welcome Home.” A ribbon-cutting was held to commemorate the event, and a plaque inside the building next to the entrance of the gym was unveiled displaying a portrait of Bunche with his accomplishments and a quote that reads: “To make our way, we must have firm resolve, persistence, tenacity. We must gear ourselves to work hard all the way. We can never give up.” The plaque also read it was sponsored by the Ralph J. Bunche High School Class of 1966. Chairman Vernon Bryant of the Halifax County Board of Commissioners attended the event and said he is a product of Weldon City Schools as a 1975 graduate of Weldon High School. “It’s outstanding,” Bryant said. “It’s dedicated to a person who has contributed a lot to civil rights and to the African American community and just very proud to rename this gymnasium Ralph J. Bunche Gymnasium.” Louise Williams, a Class of 1966 graduate, said, “I never thought the day this would happen, but it has. It’s today, and I am happy about it because when I graduated from here, we didn’t have all of this like we have today. I’m just happy this happened today. This was long overdue.”
Ralph Bunche High School was a school constructed in 1949 as a result of Civil Action 631 to provide "separate but equal" education for African-American students in King George County, Virginia. The school operated until 1968 when King George High School was completed and the county's schools integrated. The school was named for Ralph Bunche, an African-American educator, diplomat and Nobel Prize winner. Architecture[edit]The building continued to be used for various school uses until 1998, including at times as an elementary school, for several specialized programs, including secondary and pre-school, and for School Board administrative offices and some School Board meetings. Ralphe Bunche High School alumni formed a preservation committee in 1998 after plans to demolish the building were discussed. In August of that year, the King George County School Board approved a resolution to preserve the building allowing it to be registered as a historical site. In May 2007, the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association unveiled a commemorative plaque to be placed on the building. The building is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] In 2016, efforts were underway to turn the old school building into the Ralph Bunche Museum and Cultural Centre.[4] School[edit]
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Ralph j bunche high school weldon nc
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