Sept. 8, 1959, second-grader Charles Alexander walked up the steps of Venable Elementary School, becoming one of the first elementary students in the country to integrate into previously segregated schools. Nick-named “Alex-Zan,” Alexander was joined by 11 other students who integrated Charlottesville public schools — becoming known as “The Charlottesville 12.”
More than six decades later, Alexander has dedicated his career to sharing his story and advocating throughout Virginia for criminal and educational justice, as well as youth mental health. Through public speaking, mentorship, educational programs and community engagement, he uses his experiences to spread practical tools for personal development and community improvement.
Federal Judge John Paul ruled in 1956 to integrate public schools in Charlottesville and Warren County as a direct response to Virginia’s prolonged resistance to desegregation following Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. He issued the decision that would force local governments to comply with federal mandates, overruling Governor J. Lindsay Almond’s staunch opposition to integration. According to Alexander, Paul stood firm in his decision.
“[Almond] did not want integration of black and white students, he said he would lose his right arm before that would take place,” Alexander said, “...[Paul] said 'Enough, integrate the schools immediately.’”
The local and state NAACP invited Charlottesville families to participate in school integration, and while some stepped forward, others hesitated, he explained. The "Charlottesville 12" was not a court-designated group but a collective of Black students whose parents volunteered to join this group, according to Alexander. His mother, a plaintiff in the local NAACP’s lawsuit, was determined to push for desegregation despite resistance from some families in the community.
"Some families participated, and some did not," Alexander said. "My mother thought it was an opportunity for a better education."
According to Alexander, his mother's motivation for having him integrate was that she simply wanted the best educational opportunity for him, and since they already lived close to the school, it made sense to pursue that opportunity.
"The purpose of education is not the color of your skin, but the purpose of education," Alexander said, quoting his mother.
Alexander, one of the youngest, was among nine students who entered Venable Elementary. Originally, Venable Elementary and Lane High School delayed full integration despite the court mandate. However, the 12 Black students were still required by the court to receive an education during this delay. This led to temporary arrangements, such as Alexander and two other Venable students being taught in an administration building behind the school rather than fully joining their white classmates. They would not join their white classmates until September 1959.
At just 7 years old, Alexander said he had no expectations or awareness of the historical significance of his actions. Reflecting on his experience, he now considers himself and his mother leaders in the struggle for school integration.
“We’re trailblazers,” Alexander said. “We’re history makers.”
Alexander shared that, in general, most students and staff at Venable were accepting of him, and he credits this to his positive, talkative attitude. He particularly remembered one teacher, Ms. Miller, whom he saw as an "extended grandmother." She would send notes home to his mother every day about his day.
However, he recalled one incident when two white students' fathers came to the school looking for him. Ms. Miller stood at the door and protected him. Alexander also remembered an important lesson she taught the class.
"All of us that went to Venable [were] driven, education oriented, by Ms. Miller,” Alexander said. “I remember, she made this comment one time when some students called me names or called a few other people names. And she said, ‘Once you remove the cover, we're all the same. Once you remove the top layer, we're all the same.’”
After Venable, Alexander continued his education at Walker Junior High School and Lane High School, where he became more involved in student activism. He participated in walkouts protesting the lack of Black studies and Black history in the curriculum and successfully convinced the superintendent to offer a Black history course at Lane High School. He graduated in 1970.
After high school, Charles attended Allen University, a historically Black college in Columbia, South Carolina. In his post-college years, Charles lived in Richmond and then spent some years in Atlanta. He eventually returned to Henrico County and later moved back to Charlottesville to support his family. Even in these different locations, Alexander remained committed to his community.
While living in different cities along the East Coast, Alexander continued to develop a wide range of school-based and community programs — many of which he started in the mid 1970s after he left university — in Charlottesville schools and at community events.
Alexander’s educational programs, such as his ‘Yes, You Matter’ and ‘WORDS’ initiatives, aim to promote personal development, mental health awareness and youth empowerment. His initiatives serve diverse age groups, from preschoolers to high school students and include in-school presentations, summer camps, talent showcases and personal safety awareness workshops.
Alexander has also developed character-based educational tools to promote personal growth. For example, CYM — ‘Close Your Mouth’ — reinforces listening skills, while Yogo encourages emotional regulation and the ability to let go.
In addition to his educational programs, Alexander conducts community workshops that cover a variety of topics, including drug prevention and personal safety awareness. He conducts these workshops in partnership with local police departments and schools. His annual initiatives include a summer vacation/camp program that has run for 16 years and presentations at Martin Luther King Day events throughout the community.
Alexander also meets with medical students at the University annually during the first week of August, providing them with an understanding of the Charlottesville community and its members’ medical needs. His focus is particularly on the African American perspective and the relationship between the local community and the University.
In all aspects of his work, Alexander emphasizes the importance of addressing social issues focused on the human aspect rather than the racial one. He believes that by tackling human experiences, racial issues will naturally be addressed in the process.
“I talk less about the racial aspect and more about the human aspect,” Alexander said, “Because if we can deal with the human aspect, the racial aspect will follow in accordance. And those are the basics — the attitude, the mindset, the manners, how you treat folks — let's just treat each other [with] respect to individual differences and expressions.”
As an author, Alexander has also written four books, including one called “The Skin is Just the Cover,” a children’s book in which he shares his experience with integration. In total, he has created five cartoon characters, developed over 100 copyrights and obtained four trademarks.
Alexander said his main goal is to inspire future generations of students to make a positive impact and build on the change he has advocated for throughout his life.
“It doesn't do any good for a student to know what I've done and what we have done,” Alexander said. “We've done it. Okay, now it's time for you to make your imprint. You make the difference, your impact."
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