Norfolk 17 survivors to revisit history

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The city of Norfolk is marking a half-century since the integration of its public schools.

Once shunned by their white classmates, members of the Norfolk 17 on Monday will visit the city schools that once closed rather then accept black students. One of the visitors will be Louis Cousins.

As a 16-year-old student, Cousins was shown in an iconic photograph from the period sitting separate from his white classmates at Maury High School. He is scheduled to visit Maury and his fellow surviving black classmates will return to the schools they attended 50 years ago.

Gov. Tim Kaine is also scheduled to address a luncheon to honor the Norfolk 17.

The black students were locked out of white schools during Virginia's segregationist Massive Resistance.