Angeline Washington Elementary School Groundbreaking

This new school will be the 12^th elementary school in Park Hill. The first elementary built in 1934 was Graden Elementary and our latest elementary built in 2019 was Hopewell Elementary. Now we add our next one 90 years after our first. This new school is the result of the community’s support for our 2022 Bond Issue.   

When we make the choice to change for the better and recognize all parts of history—whether that history is uplifting and triumphant, or painful and uncomfortable—there will be growth. Park Hill is not only breaking ground to build a school for all children, of ALL backgrounds, to come and learn; but this district and its community chose to say “yes” to breaking barriers to representation, again, barriers to community engagement, and barriers of outdated ways that have not been inclusive nor supportive of the district’s vision of “Building successful futures, each student, every day.” 

Brandy Woodley, President of the Park Hill Board of Education

State Representative, Jamie Johnson on the House Floor

A Sense of Belonging

Remarks from the groundbreaking ceremony by Dr. Mike Kimbrel, Superintendent.

I wanted to share a bit about the namesake of our new school. 

To get my mind around the significance of this event, my wife and I went on a “walking field trip” last Saturday.   

It started at the Old Parkville Cemetery, where we searched for Washington family members because we know Angeline is buried in an unmarked grave.  We found her oldest son, Howard, and her grandchildren of another son Otis Webb.   

We found rocks that were clearly placed there to mark gravesites, only left to wonder which one was Angeline. There was a weight just walking in that space knowing the significance of the name of this new school.   

Angeline Rucker Washington was born in 1837 and died in 1904.   

She was a person of color enslaved by George Park, freed in the 1850s, and married to William Washington in 1855.  William and Angeline were married in the old Presbyterian Church in Parkville. Although marriages between African Americans were illegal at that time in Missouri, the Reverend George Woodward married them anyway.   

After their marriage, they stayed.  Let me repeat that, two African American people, now freed in the pre-Civil War Parkville, Missouri…. Stayed. 

One of our strategic objectives in Park Hill is to ensure a sense of belonging.  The question in my mind was, “how in the world could Angeline Washington have felt like she belonged?” 

But she stayed.  She stayed to create a sense of belonging. She stayed and raised a family, including eight children. George Park eventually deeded the Washingtons some land.   

Because of the time during which their children were born, most of the Washington children did not have an opportunity for an education. However, many Washington grandchildren attended one or both Banneker schools. 

Angeline Washington sought and was accepted for membership in the Parkville Presbyterian Church, pioneering religious freedom, diversity, and educational opportunity for children of color in this area.  

In fact, Angeline and William Washington then became enshrined charter members for founding Washington Chapel Colored Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church in 1870.  

Which brings me back to our “walking field trip.” From the Old Parkville Cemetery, we walked south to find Washington Chapel, which I encourage you to see.   

A beautiful building with stained glass windows and stone.  A structure literally defining a foundation of faith for a community.  A structure that created a sense of belonging for a community. 

And only a short couple of blocks down the hill, we walked to the Banneker school.  A one room schoolhouse for the education of Black children in Parkville in the early 20^th century.   

The naming committee wanted to express the story of Angeline through this perspective – the perspective of her life as an enslaved woman to a freed woman who married, owned land, had children, pioneered educational and religious opportunity, and bonded a community. 

She stayed.  And because she stayed, we get to honor her today and into the future of the Park Hill community. Let this be a reminder to all of us here today.  I believe we are measured by what we give. And Angeline Washington gave everything.  How you live matters.  How you serve your community matters.   

May all of us live in a way that is worthy of recognition 125 years from now. 

Thank you, Angeline for staying.  I personally know that there is an unmarked stone for your grave in the Old Parkville Cemetery.   

Remarks from the groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 29, 2024 by Dr. Mike Kimbrel, Superintendent.