George Axiotis (Virtual interview; October 12, 2025; )
[LIGHTLY EDITED FOR CLARITY/READABILITY]
CP: Just to start, thank you for participating in the AHS Education History Project. You are a
longtime Arlingtonian historian, an active member of the Arlington Historical Society (AHS), and
a published author of two books. Your first book, Two Hills: A Story of Survival Between the
Lines, is a historically based fictional narrative of events during the Civil War, seen through the
eyes of a young girl in Arlington. Your second book, Shootout of Jackson City, recounts the true
story at a major shootout in 1896 in Jackson City, a lawless area known as Hell’s Bottom in
Alexandria County. Firstly, how did you come to love history, particularly Arlington County
history?
GA: Well, I’ve always been interested in history. I’m an amateur historian, and for the two books
I wrote, I was very curious about what was happening in my neighborhood in Arlington during
two very pivotal moments in the county’s history. That curiosity led me down that particular path.
As a result of those books and being a member of the Historical Society, I also worked with the
county on various projects, representing them in discussions, which we’ll get to.
CP: I’m especially interested in talking about how the county came to deconfederatize school
names such as Washington-Lee High School (to Washington-Liberty) and Stratford Middle
School (to Dorothy Hamm), especially considering the 2017 Unite the Right rally in
Charlottesville, which included the protest over the Robert E. Lee statue and the tragic killing of
a peaceful protester. How did that event and others around that time influence Arlington County
to rename these schools?
GA: The county had always been interested in moving away from its Confederate past. But the
Charlottesville protests really galvanized the conversation. I believe the first administration
under President Trump also accelerated the discussion. It was part of a broader national
movement to reconsider symbols tied to a past associated with treachery against the Union and
oppression of minorities. The renaming of the schools became part of that wave, although
Charlottesville wasn’t the only factor–the county began its work in late summer and early fall of
2018.
CP: How were you involved in the 21-member committee of students, parents, faculty,
neighborhood groups, and historians assembled to study the issue of renaming schools and
buildings?
GA: I was a member of the Arlington Historical Society. I had previously worked with the school
system on master planning projects, and the county needed a Historical Society member on the
committee to provide factual guidance on alternative names. So the society got involved, and I
volunteered for the effort.
CP: What was the mood of the broader Arlington community regarding support or opposition to
the renaming of schools?
GA: Before joining the committee, I noticed there were basically two vocal camps. One argued
that we shouldn’t ignore history or “whitewash” it. The other camp wanted to maintain the school
names to honor figures like Confederate General Lee. Once we were on the committee, the
discussion included students, alumni, and parents, each with different perspectives. Overall, the
focus was whether the county should continue celebrating figures whose goal was to dissolve
the Union.
CP: When the school board voted 5-0 on January 10, 2019, to rename Washington-Lee to
Washington-Liberty, what was going through your mind at the time?
GA: The committee had already briefed the county board as an advisory group. We narrowed
down a list of options to two: Washington-Loving and Washington-Liberty. The board ultimately
chose Washington-Liberty, even though it wasn’t the front-runner. My input was focused on
caution against naming a school after a person, which could later create controversy. This
consideration, I think, influenced the board’s unanimous vote.
CP: Could you explain more about how the committee arrived at the final name options?
GA: Yes. There were three categories of names: aspirational, geographical, and people.
Aspirational names highlighted values like discovery or achievement. Geographical names
referenced the area, like Arlington High School. Names after people had traditionally been
common, but the county preferred to move away from them.
The committee considered the students’ strong desire to keep the “WNL” acronym, especially
the “Washington” part, so the discussion focused on replacing the “Lee” part. We researched
historical figures like Light-Horse Harry Lee, Richard Henry Lee, and William “Billy” Lee, and I
helped provide historical context for each.
One option was “Washington-Loving,” named after the Loving case, a Supreme Court case that
legalized interracial marriage in Virginia. Some committee members strongly supported this, but
concerns arose: it was difficult for students to explain, and social context could cause potential
controversy later.
Ultimately, the two options submitted to the board were Washington-Liberty and
Washington-Loving. The board voted for Liberty, which was aspirational, easy to explain, and
aligned with the county’s goal of moving away from Confederate associations.
CP: How about the renaming of Stratford to Dorothy Hamm Middle School?
GA: That was different. Our committee wasn’t involved. The school board applied lessons
learned from the Washington-Lee discussions. Dorothy Hamm was an educator, so the
renaming was less controversial and didn’t have the same constraints.
CP: Anything else you’d like to add?
GA: It’s interesting to note that Fairfax County named an elementary school after the Lovings.
Elementary schools feel different than high schools in this context. We finished our work by
December 2018, and the name Washington-Liberty was ultimately accepted by students and
alumni. The alumni were initially the most vocal against any change, but over time, students
were happy with the new name.
CP: Thank you so much for meeting with us, Mr. Axiotis.
GA: You’re welcome.
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