Nottoway Board denies sale of historic Burkeville (Ingleside) Elementary after sustained public opposition

The Nottoway County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to deny the school board's request to sell the former Burkeville Elementary building — historically Ingleside — after residents and local officials urged the board to keep the site in public hands.

Dozens of residents, the mayor of Burkeville and preservation advocates described the building as a community hub and a reclaimed historic site tied to post-Civil War Black education. Dr. Jackie Green August, who told the board she had researched the property's origins, said Ingleside once served freed Black students and the local congregation that helped sustain the school. "If this property is sold or closed to community use, in that case, we will repeat the same injustice over and over again," Dr. August said during public comment.

Speakers detailed current community uses at the site, including the registrar's office and the Hope Food Pantry, which volunteers say serves hundreds of people each month. "By allowing the Hope Food Pantry to continue to operate at Burkeville Elementary, you're not just keeping the lights on in an old building. You're helping to keep hope alive for hundreds of people right here in Nottoway County," said Kevin Hewitt, a volunteer with the pantry.

Board members discussed legal and procedural constraints — including that the school board holds the deed and may request county approval to sell — but concluded the public interest weighed against granting permission to sell. The motion to deny the sale passed by roll call; the chair announced the certification of the vote as the board moved on to other business.

The denial means the school board cannot proceed with a sale that would transfer the property out of its current stewardship and that the county and community groups will continue discussions about maintaining and using the facility.