Historical Marker To Recognize Little Hunting Park Desegregation Case

GROVETON, VA — A key case that helped desegregate recreational associations in the U.S. will be honored with a state historical marker in the Bucknell Manor neighborhood in Fairfax County.

The historical marker planned for Little Hunting Park is one of six across the state approved by the Virginia Board of Historic Resources. Each historical marker recalls different topics in Virginia's history.

Little Hunting Park's future historical marker references the Sullivan v. Little Hunting Park case, which led the Supreme Court to rule in 1969 that excluding African Americans from Little Hunting Park membership violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and was illegal housing discrimination. Paul Sullivan, the homeowner, had rented his to Theodore R. Freeman Jr. in 1965 and tried to transfer a membership to Little Hunting Park, a recreational club in the Bucknell Manor neighborhood.

The Little Hunting Park had rejected the membership transfer partly because the Freeman family was African American, and the board also revoked Sullivan's membership after he protested the board's decision. The Sullivan and Freeman families filed a lawsuit in 1966 but lost several appeals before the Supreme Court decision. The Supreme Court ruling and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 led to the desegregation of recreational clubs in the U.S.

Little Hunting Creek still exists today, offering a swim and tennis club with multiple pools and tennis courts, playground, party spaces and other recreational spaces.

Other new historical markers planned by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources are the John G. Lewis Memorial Bridge in Loudoun County, Cedar Grove in Rockbridge County, Glade Spring School in Washington County, the Old Folks Home in Essex County and Willis Augustus Hodges in the City of Virginia Beach.

Virginia’s historical marker program began in 1927 with the first along Route 1 between Mount Vernon and Richmond. There are more than 2,500 historical markers spotlighting people, places, or events of local, regional, statewide or national importance.