James W. Mozee, despite all of his contributions to Lynchburg’s history, did not receive a gravestone when he died. We will correct this.
Pictured L-R: Jennifer Petticolas, James W. Mozee, Dee Brown
Black History Month Salute to Dunbar H.S. Principal James W. Mozee
Last fall at Old City Cemetery’s annual Candlelight Tours, OCC featured several people who are buried at OCC, including the second black principal of Dunbar High School, James W. Mozee (1862-1941), as portrayed by Dee Brown. Tour attendees were surprised and saddened to find that there was no gravestone for Mozee in his family plot next to the stone of his wife, Lelia Perkins Mozee, and close to the Pathway to Pride. Several guests said they would donate to a campaign to raise funds for Mozee’s gravestone. In response to visitor requests, OCC will be holding a special event to honor Mozee’s life and raise funds for his gravestone on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 9:30am at the Pathway to Pride (rain location: Cemetery’s Bicentennial Chapel). We invite you to join us and register for a special Salute to Mozee on February 19 at 9:30am when OCC will feature educator Jennifer Petticolas speaking about Mozee’s contributions to Lynchburg’s African American community, plus a repeat portrayal of Mozee by Dee Brown, and attend a reception given in Principal Mozee’s memory. Admission is $10/person and all proceeds will be used to purchase a gravestone for Mozee. You may register for the event here and you may also make a separate donation online at this address after you enter the gift amount online, click on the link Special Instructions and type: “Mozee gravestone”. Mozee was born into slavery in 1862. From 1880 to 1882, he attended university at the Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City, Missouri, and finished his course of study in 1887. For almost 50 years hence, he served as an educator and faithfully served Lynchburg’s African American community as a local teacher and ultimately as principal of Dunbar High School for almost 10 years in the 1930s.