82 schools renamed from Confederate generals to civil rights icons

• A USA TODAY analysis found more than 80 schools across the United States dropped racist namesakes in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder.
• In many cases, the schools were renamed after people of color, from civil rights icons to local educators
• Many of the renaming efforts faced lots of public backlash.

It wasn’t until her junior year that Ashley Sanchez-Viafara learned the truth behind her high school’s racist namesake. 

The Thomas Chambliss Williams high school in Alexandria, Virginia, was named after a longtime district superintendent who served during the civil rights era — and did everything he could to preserve segregation.