Hailey is an Oak Hill, WV native, and a Marshall University alumna where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history. During her junior year, Hailey took an African American Studies class with Dr. David Trowbridge, the creator of the Clio Foundation, a history app and mobile website that brings unknown historical narratives to light. She chose to study and write about African American history in her home county, and luckily stumbled upon Jean and Dubois on Main. Hailey showed up unannounced and Jean dropped everything and actually spent seven hours teaching Hailey the history of DuBois High School, a history that had been looked over and forgotten by the local community before the establishment of DuBois on Main.  But many older DuBois folks know about the many professionals that started there.  Namely, two Greentown families, Christians and Toles, produced doctors, dentists and many educators.  Similarities exist in other communities because education was always a very strong focus in the school.

Hailey wrote about the history Jean had taught her and published three articles on www.theclio.com, but she was still curious and wanted to learn more. During her senior capstone class, under the instruction of Dr. Daniel Holbrook, Hailey dove head-first into the history of Dubois High School’s integration process. She studied resources from Marshall University Special Collections, the WV State Archives, and interviewed local historians and DuBois alum. During the research process, Hailey’s professor pointed out the unique integration of DuBois High School, where the local BOE closed the white high school and moved those students into the newly built DuBois High School, changed the name to Mount Hope High School, and tried to rid the existence of DuBois High School.

Fast forward to two years later– in 2017, Hailey was a Preserve WV AmeriCorps member for the Clio Foundation, and decided to start the DuBois High School Historical Marker Project with Jean and the other DuBois on Main Board Members. Hailey helped plan the kick-off event, coordinated public outreach, and wrote the application submitted to the WV State Division of Culture and History.  The application was approved and the funds were quickly raised.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Now you know why we are happy she has joined us.  Welcome aboard, Hailey.