After the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v Board of Education, African American parents in Charlottesville began a fight for equal access to public education in 1955 by petitioning the Charlottesville School Board to transfer their children from segregated Jefferson Elementary School and Jackson P. Burley High School. With assistance from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the parents sued the Charlottesville City School Board after it took no action. In 1956, U.S. District Court Judge John Paul ruled that Charlottesville must integrate Lane High School and Venable Elementary School, but the School Board filed several appeals challenging compliance. Under the strategy of massive resistance, Governor James Lindsey Almond, Jr. ordered Lane and Venable closed on September 19, 1958, to block integration of Charlottesville City Schools. When the schools reopened in February 1959, the School Board set aside space in its office for students to attend classes while officials considered an integration plan. On September 5, 1959, Judge Paul ordered the immediate transfer of twelve students who became known as the Charlottesville Twelve: French Jackson, Donald Martin, John Martin, Charles E. Alexander, Raymond Dixon, Regina Dixon, Maurice Henry, Marvin Townsend, William Townsend, Sandra Wicks, Roland T. Woodfolk, and Ronald E. Woodfolk. On September 8, 1959, three African American children entered Lane High School by Judge Paul’s order.