Celebration of Education – Murcelle Coleman

The Orange County Education Foundation bestowed a lifetime achievement award to longtime Orange County educator Murcelle Coleman on September 30, 20102 during the foundation’s first first ever Celebration of Education held at James Madison’s Montpelier.

Coleman, who came to Orange in 1965, taught at George Washington Carver Regional High School before Orange County desegregated its schools when she became one of the first four African American teachers at Orange County High School. While there, she made an impact, helping the school transition from a fully segregated white institution to a fully integrated environment where an African American teacher could become one of the school’s most honored educators. In 1973, the school’s yearbook was dedicated to Coleman. Coleman retired in 1987 after having spent 40 years in education, the final 21 of which were in Orange County High School. In addition to education, Coleman also served as the first African American on the Town of Orange Planning Commission and the Orange Town Council and served on the Orange County School Board.