Nathaniel Garland

Nathaniel Garland, born on September 22, 1951, was raised from the age of eight just east of Charlottesville in the community of Cismont within Albemarle County. Following issues within his immediate family, Nathaniel and his older brother lived with their Aunt and Uncle, Myrtle and James White, while his remaining five siblings went to live in Orange County with other family members. 

His first school of memory was Terry Elementary, located west of Charlottesville in Ivy, Virginia. Following this, he became one of the original twenty-six African-American children to attend previously white-only schools in Albemarle County, where  he would attend Rose-Hill and Stone-Robinson in Keswick, before attending Albemarle High School in 1964 at the young age of 12.  Growing up, he self-described himself as being a “terror” at times, often fighting to defend either himself or his brother, or simply to see if he could hold his own against bigger kids. 

Nathaniel had many aspects of his life which brought him joy. He was an avid singer throughout his youth, using songs and humming as ways to escape things bothering him or simply as a way to express himself. He was a physically strong kid, which enhanced his ability to play football and participate on the track team for his school. Outside of school, he would regularly participate in community sports events and organized competitions against kids from different parts of the county. With singing and sports, Nathaniel was also a hard worker growing up. He spent three summers making his way to Fluvanna and back to attend his job as a kitchen assistant for his aunt, who taught him more about how to cook. While in high-school,  he then also worked in housekeeping for UVA at the age of fifteen.  All of these experiences helped shape Nathaniel from a very young age, and allowed him to find success in multiple aspects of his life. 

Following high-school, Nathaniel had the hope of attending college. He received letters back from schools denying his admission due to what they called a lack of coursework, but in the end he was successful. He attended Delaware State College on a full scholarship for football. He would go on to earn a History and Political-Science Major with a concentration on pre-law degree from the University, proving wrong the disapproving and unsupportive guidance counselors from his youth.  

Throughout Nathaniel’s interview, he sheds light onto how difficult life was as one of the first African-Americans to desegregate the county school system, but also how it was difficult for him to fully comprehend the enormity of the situation at such a young age. The importance he places on sports, music, church, and community are all things that helped him find success, and the stories he tells offer us a glimpse into the harsh realities that Black children of the time faced in multiple aspects of life.