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Loudoun County to replace segregated World War I plaque on Veterans Day

By Nathaniel Cline ncline@loudountimes.com Nov 8, 2021 Updated 12 hrs ago



The World War I memorial plaque on the grounds of the Loudoun County Courthouse in Leesburg.
Times-Mirror/Nathaniel Cline

The World War I memorial plaque in Leesburg, which racially segregated the names of 30 black and white service members, will be replaced with an updated version Thursday on Veterans Day, according to Loudoun County officials.

As previously reported, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to move forward with the replacement of the plaque located on the courthouse grounds.

Loudoun County Supervisor Mike Turner (D-Ashburn), who authored the initiative, said the project is one of many across the country that is “substantive and meaningful” and “long overdue.” Turner received support from the veterans community, including the Loudoun County VFW Post 1177, the American Legion Post 34 and Loudoun County Foreign War Memorial Trust Fund Advisory Committee last year.

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The bronze plaque on the Loudoun County World War I Memorial stood in the heart of Leesburg for nearly 100 years. Located on the county courthouse grounds, the plaque listed the names of 30 service members from Loudoun who died during the war. Segregated by two engraved lines, on top are the names of 27 white service members, and below are those three Black service members.



A closer look at the World War I monument on the Loudoun County Courthouse grounds shows the names of Black fallen service members divided from white service members.
Times-Mirror/Nathaniel Cline

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The rededication ceremony of the World War I plaque will take place on the Loudoun County Courthouse Grounds at 5:30 p.m.