LaVera Forbes-Brown, trailblazing member of Norfolk 17, remembered
On Feb. 2, 1959, LaVéra Forbes walked to Norview Jr. High School with a handful of fellow African American classmates. They were the first African American students to attend formerly segregated schools in Norfolk. Later, these individuals would be celebrated as trailblazers. At the time, it was often traumatic. Later in life, Forbes would struggle to open up about what happened all those years ago even as memorials, murals and special exhibits started to come up to honor those children for their bravery.
Source: pilotonline.com