|  | Building a Diverse Community...
It was Mrs. Taylor’s interest in promoting a sense of world-mindedness at Beauvoir that encouraged Beauvoir’s Governing Board to accept children of different racial and economic backgrounds. She felt that the entire school would benefit from the presence of students from a broader social and economic range.
Beauvoir’s intention to accept African-American applicants was confirmed by the Cathedral Chapter in 1952, which expressed its conviction that education should be available “to children of all races on equal terms” starting in the fall of 1953.
The reaction of the African-American community in Washington was immediate and positive. The November 8, 1952 edition of the Pittsburgh Courier, an African-American newspaper, read: “In an unprecedented action…, the Right Reverend Angus Dun ordered Saturday that the private school Beauvoir be opened to Negro children and on the same basis as white children."
With this decision, Beauvoir became one of the first educational institutions in the Washington area to see integration as both necessary and desirable. Since that day, Beauvoir has remained steadfastly committed to increasing the School’s racial diversity both among its students and faculty. Today, a renewed push is being made for greater socio-economic diversity across all racial and ethnic groups, in part through Beauvoir’s current Endowment Campaign: Growing Together.
Fun Fact!
In April 1953, the Taylor Building was dedicated. The new construction featured an art studio, three small offices, and a stage and auditorium. Though they look very different today, Beauvoir students still use the art studio and the stage/auditorium (Taylor Hall)!
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