With fond memories and heavy hearts, we reflect on the life of Ms. Rita Odom Moseley, whose immeasurable impact continues to resonate throughout our community and beyond.
At the Robert RA beloved author, historian, educator, and advocate for preserving history, Ms. Rita embodied the power of storytelling and the importance of ensuring the voices of the past are heard and remembered.
Her work illuminated the struggles and triumphs of those affected by the Prince Edward County school closures, offering profound insight into the resilience of the human spirit. Her books, Silence Broken After 50 Years and No School, have enriched countless lives and preserved stories that might have otherwise been lost to time.
Beyond her literary contributions, Ms. Rita was a cornerstone of the community, devoting her time and wisdom to the Robert Russa Moton Museum. Her storytelling captivated students and elders alike, introducing audiences to the personal and collective costs of desegregation.
“No matter what happened to me, I didn’t allow it to make me bitter or hateful like some people did.” – Rita Odom Moseley
Her legacy lives on in the words she wrote, the lives she touched, and the history she so passionately safeguarded. Let us honor her memory by continuing the important work she began—sharing stories, embracing education, and celebrating the resilience of the human spirit.
Reflections from Those Who Knew Her:
“Rita was one of the most amazing women I have met in my life. Her courage to press forward changed so many lives. To me, she will go down in history as one of the most famous women in the Commonwealth and the nation.” – Mary Daniel Brown
“Rita Moseley was a writer, scholar, and saleswoman dedicated to sharing the Moton School Story. Her storytelling captivated audiences, deepening the national understanding of the sacrifices families here endured in education’s name.” – Leah Brown
At the Robert Russa Moton Museum, we are committed to preserving the legacy of Ms. Rita Odom Moseley by continuing to share the stories she so passionately safeguarded and inspiring future generations to honor the sacrifices of the past.
Rita Odom Moseley and I shared some big adventures as the Brown v Board of Education Scholarship Program and Fund legislation wound through the House and Senate, side-stepping multiple minefields in 2004. Most memorably, the two of us raced together to Richmond on a Sunday afternoon in January to beat a major snowstorm that would have otherwise prevented our testimony to the House Committee on Education first-thing Monday morning. After watching the snow fall Sunday night as we ate dinner at a downtown hotel, we awoke Monday to a foot of snow and walked arm-in-arm several blocks up the steep and slippery sidewalk to the capitol building. When we learned the committee only wanted to hear from one of us, I turned to Rita and told her the voice they heard must be hers. It was and they did. Rita had a such heart for people and for justice. She rose up where so many might have fallen, always lifting others with her, and she set an example the world still so desperately needs today. My life is better because of her.