High Bridge Trail State Park

Elam Crossing

To the five who lost their lives on March 13, 1951, "...we feel joy that those precious and so dear were allowed to stop by here, even so briefly..."

G.L. Brooks, "Gone But Not Forgotten," 2009

On March 13, 1951, five African American children from the Prospect area lost their lives while riding a second-hand school bus from Robert Russa Moton High School. The rear end of the bus was hit by a Norfolk and Western train at Elam crossing. This tragic accident occurred approximately one month before the student's walk-out at R.R. Moton High School, Farmville, Virginia.

The fog and driving rain obscured the view of the train, which was running fifty minutes behind schedule. The students saw its dim light after the bus made its precautionary stop and had begun to proceed across the tracks. The children screamed and some ran toward the front of the bus; the train hit the rear of the bus, splitting it open; of the twenty-three riders, some were thrown off, ten were taken to the hospital, and one was retained overnight. Five children lost their lives at the site.

Winfield Paige, 14

"eager ambitious"

The Motonian, 1951

Naomi Hendricks, 18

"chearful, ambitious"

The Motonian, 1951

Dodson Hendricks, 15

"quiet, sincere"

The Motonian, 1951

Christine Hendricks, 18

"outgoing, pleasant"

The Motonian, 1951