Mathews supervisors have adopted a resolution asking the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to rescind its recent approval of a highway marker recognizing the early 20th century exodus of black residents from Gwynn’s Island. Members voted 3-2 to approve the resolution during the board’s Oct. 17 board meeting, held in the historic courthouse.
The motion to approve the resolution was presented by supervisor Mike Walls and supported by Dave Jones and Tim Doss. Chair Janice Phillips and supervisor Tom Bowen dissented.
The vote came after a half dozen or so Gwynn’s Island residents took turns objecting to the marker being placed on the island and reading an approximately 1,200-word document outlining their argument that the text of the marker is based on conjecture rather than facts.
The marker states that racial tension following a confrontation between a black man and a white man in December 1915 was the primary factor that caused the black population of the island to move to the m...