Redskins Donate $35K to Restore Historic African American School in Ashburn

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA —Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation have donated $35,000 to benefit the restoration of the Ashburn Colored School, according to an announcement by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

The donation comes following the vandalism of the historic structure that was discovered on Saturday, October 1. The graffiti included offensive and vulgar graffiti, including racist messages. Currently under renovation, the one-room schoolhouse operated as a public school for African Americans from 1892 until the 1950's.

SEE ALSO: Historic Ashburn Schoolhouse Vandalized With Racist Messages

Five teenage males were subsequently identified and connected to the vandalism of a historic schoolhouse, according to the an announcement by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office on Oct. 5. The suspects are minors and therefore by law will not be identified to the public.

SEE ALSO: 5 Suspects Identified for Vandalism of Historic African American School

“The defacing of this historic African American structure was felt by the entire Loudoun community and came to the attention of the Washington Redskins team leadership,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis J. Randall. “They reached out to my office following the joint news conference and asked what they could do to help; when I learned that the organization planned to support the school, which is located less than two miles from Redskins Park, I was very grateful for their continued community support.”

The donation will help the Loudoun School for the Gifted exceed its fund-raising goal of $100,000. The Board, which has expressed the importance of preserving historic landmarks and has been involved lately in raising awareness about the project, commended Snyder and the Redskins organization for their generosity.

The Loudoun School for the Gifted has been raising money for the restoration of the Ashburn Colored School. Donations from the community have increased significantly in the wake the crime, which will accelerate the project.

SEE ALSO: Donations Surge to Historic African American School Following Racist Graffiti Vandalism

“We are extremely appreciative of the generosity of the Redskins,” said Loudoun School for the Gifted founder Dr. Deep Sran. “The support we have received from the community in recent weeks has been truly extraordinary and it will help us to achieve our vision for this community resource much, much faster.”

The donations will help restore the exterior and interior of the historic structure, and furnish the old school within a year—a process that originally would have taken nearly three years to complete. In addition, the funds will assist in the development of a museum of education, which will be a cultural resource for the Loudoun community, at least five years ahead of schedule, according to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors announcement.

For more information on the restoration project or to support the restoration efforts, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/ashburnoldschool.

Image credit: Ashburn Old School Rehabilitation GoFundMe page