Charles Alexander

Charles Alexander, who was born in 1952 and still goes by his nickname “Alex-Zan,” was one of the “Charlottesville Twelve” who first desegregated the Charlottesville schools as a six-year old entering Venable School’s first grade in 1958. Looking back to his years in Lane H.S. (from which he graduated as a member of the class of 1970), he admits to a “little back and forth with two white students.” He successfully convinced the superintendent of schools to offer a Black history course at Lane H.S. Alex-Zan has built a career as an effective advocate for students, arguing “The Charles Alexander, also known as “Mr. Alex-Zan”, was born in 1952 and was one of the “Charlottesville Twelve” who first desegregated the Charlottesville schools as a six-year old entering Venable School’s second grade in 1958. Looking back to his years at Lane H.S. from which he graduated as a member of the class of 1970 he admits to a “little back and forth with two white students.” He successfully convinced the superintendent of schools to offer a Black history course at Lane H.S. Mr. Alex-Zan has built a career as an effective advocate for students, arguing “The thing is to get children to read, and of course, reading is the basic fundamental foundation of everything.”