Forsyth selects ‘New Hope’ as new school’s name

The Forsyth County Board of Education reached back into history to select “New Hope” – the name of a school once attended by Black children – as the name of its 23rd elementary school, to open in August, 2022.

“New Hope” was recommended by board member Tom Cleveland, representing the Forsyth County Historical Society, and staff that reviewed names submitted online and studied the district’s history. With 44 students, New Hope was the largest of 16 Black schools in Forsyth in the early 20th Century.

In 1912, nearly all Black residents were driven out of the county by their white neighbors.

“The challenges that weigh us down in the past or today, especially those we have faced in 2020, should never dissuade us from imagining a better, more just and more love-filled future,” the district said.

New Hope Elementary School is intended to relieve overcrowding at Whitlow, Vickery Creek, Shiloh Point and Midway elementary schools. Information: https://bit.ly/3mt0NJh

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David Ibata for the AJC

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