Dr. Patricia Turner of the Norfolk 17 will speak about the desegregation of Virginia in a 3 p.m. event hosted by the Center for American Studies in Gaines Theatre.

Turner and 16 other children were the first to integrate Norfolk’s previously all-white schools in 1959. An Old Dominion University history collection includes this description of Turner’s life as a child in Norfolk schools: “For 4 1/2 years, Patricia endured violence and abuse that was invisible to most people. She has spoken of the fact that she couldn't make friends. No one spoke to her -- except to call her names, spit on her, and throw gum in her hair. But even worse was the behavior of her teachers. In an interview, she tells of the teachers who wore rubber gloves to receive her papers, or they had her drop her papers in a basket -- but mostly they just ignored her. Even though she qualified to play field hockey and was good at it, she never got to play because no other teams would play Norview if Patricia was going to play.”

Turner went on to graduate from Norfolk State University and ODU and then devoted her career to teaching in public schools. She will describe her extraordinary journey in the CNU talk that is open to all.