Though they gained power because of controversy around how to repay the millions in state debt accrued before the Civil War, the Readjusters also promoted “egalitarian thinking,” according to Encyclopedia Virginia. The Readjuster Party - a biracial political party formed at the state level in Virginia - was established in the late 1870s, during an unstable period of time after Reconstruction.Įncyclopedia Virginia calls the party “the shortest-lived and most radical reforming political party in Virginia’s history.” The 1880s: Danville and the Readjuster Partyĭan River Mills began operations in 1882, when the Readjuster Party had a strong political presence in Danville. It stands at the intersection of West Main Street and Baltimore Avenue, near the construction site for the coming Caesars Virginia casino resort. A historic marker was erected in Schoolfield in 1988.

“Getting that out there and ensuring that Schoolfield can stand on its own and not get overwhelmed with Caesars.”Ī good place to begin the Schoolfield story is in the late 19th century, when Dan River Mills opened its doors. “The whole reason I’m doing this is so that the Schoolfield story gets told,” Dixon said. While the mill was a major driver for the city’s economy, Dan River Mills’ financial goals were accompanied by deplorable social and racial goals, according to Dixon.Īll of these components deserve to be remembered together, she said. This reflection may be complicated, Dixon said, because Dan River Mills had both positive and negative influences on Danville. “We need to bridge the gap there.”Įarlier this year, Dixon was awarded the Public Humanities Fellowship from Virginia Humanities to work on this project, which she calls “A Dan River Fabric: The Life and Legacy of the Schoolfield Community.”įellows receive a $15,000 stipend to support their work, as well as access to the archives of both the Library of Virginia and the University of Virginia, where Virginia Humanities is based.Īccording to Dixon’s fellowship application, the project “offers a moment of pause during this rush of revitalization, inviting the public to reflect on the legacy of Schoolfield and its future through artifacts and stories of the past.”

“It’s not good to just look back, and it’s not good to just look forward,” Dixon said.

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