Fairfax County School Board and Board of Supervisors Announce Historical Markers Contest

Karl Frisch
2 min readJul 16, 2021

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FAIRFAX COUNTY — Last night, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) announced it is partnering with the Board of Supervisors to host the inaugural Fairfax County Historical Markers Contest. The project will showcase previously untold narratives and highlight the histories of those who are underrepresented in school curriculum. This year’s focus will be on African American history in Fairfax County.

The Fairfax County Historical Marker Program was established in 1998 by the Fairfax County History Commission and has since produced 53 markers across the county, ten of which showcase African American history. It is planned that this inaugural contest will be the first of many opportunities to add historical markers throughout the county. It will also serve as a learning opportunity for students, as they will be encouraged to engage with the local community and learn more about the county’s rich history.

Fairfax County Supervisor Dalia A. Palchik (Providence District) and School Board Member Karl Frisch (Providence District) said in a joint statement:

“Through the One Fairfax policy, we are committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable county. While our existing historical markers and monuments around the county reflect some of our stories, there is an opportunity to expand these stories through the joint Fairfax County/FCPS Historical Markers Contest.”

“The inaugural program will focus on revealing the narratives and oral histories of our African American communities, whose rich history, culture, and accomplishments in the county, are underrepresented in our history books. The inaugural historical marker project will focus on African American history in the county, with plans to expand to other groups moving forward.”

With assistance from the FCPS Instructional Services Department, the contest will be integrated into the K-12 social studies curriculum as a Project-Based Learning Initiative for the upcoming school year. All students who reside in Fairfax County, regardless of whether they are within FCPS, are invited to participate.

Here are videos of Supervisor Palchik’s (Tuesday, July 13) and Boardmember Frisch’s (Thursday, July 15) comments announcing the contest:

In related news, learn more about FCPS student contributions to county historical markers:

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Karl Frisch
Karl Frisch

Written by Karl Frisch

Fairfax County School Board Member (He/Him/His)

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