Former DuBois classmates Clarence Booker, right, and Alma Freeman-Fleming, middle, catch up on old times as former student Ruthie Keith-Freeman, left, carefully paints according to the photo she holds during the start of a mural painting of the old school building Saturday afternoon in Mount Hope.
MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. — When you drive to Mount Hope from Glen Jean next spring, you’ll be greeted by a huge mural that shows some of the area’s black history, especially the history of DuBois High School.
On Saturday, volunteers and DuBois graduates gathered to help work on the mural that should be finished in a year’s time.
“The mural will depict various aspects of DuBois High School history,” DuBois on Main museum curator Jean Evansmore said. “There’s a picture of the band group.
“There’s a picture of one of the kings and queens of May Day. There are teachers, students, football players, and some students getting awards. There are coal miners depicted in the mural too. You’ll see the high school in the mural.”
Evansmore said the mural shows black history, but it shows coal history too.
“The mural depicts the African-American history of this area,” she said. “DuBois was one of two black high schools in Fayette County. People from all over the upper plateau area went to DuBois High School.
“Many, many coal towns were represented. Coal history is an important part of this area. The coal heritage group was interested in this mural because it depicts what went on in this area.”
The project is pretty extensive and should be finished next spring, Evansmore said.
“It’s extensive to do the work on the project,” she said. “It’s about 60 by 40 feet. For the completion of the project, we’re aiming for next spring…
