Visalia Unified School District Honors Civil Rights Pioneer with Redwood High School Building Dedication

In a powerful and historic ceremonial event at Redwood High School, the school’s academic building was renamed the Wysinger Academic Building after Edmon Wysinger, an African American pioneer who filed a landmark lawsuit in 1890 that led to the desegregation of California public schools. 

The dedication carried special significance for Redwood High School — formerly Visalia High School, the segregated school at the center of Wysinger’s case. Students, staff, and community members gathered to reflect on that history and celebrate the progress it inspired.

Efforts to rename the building began in the spring of 2024 and were student-led, specifically from Redwood’s Black Student Union (BSU). Input was also gathered from Redwood High School’s ASB and PTA as well as BSU students from across the District. An ad-hoc committee of parents, students, Board Members Kenneth DeJonge and Walta Gamoian, and two community representatives helped guide the process. Visalia Unified’s Board of Education unanimously voted for the renaming of the building at the April 8, 2025 board meeting. 

“We are always proud when our students take on civic responsibilities in a way that not only impacts our schools, but our entire community – it shows us that we have truly empowered them to achieve future success,” added VUSD Board President Joy Naylor. 

During the event, BSU President, Alyssa Vasquez said, “But this moment is bigger than just the Black community. This building represents perseverance, for everyone. It’s proof of how far we’ve come as people.”

 The event closed with students receiving accolades from multiple field representatives for elected offices. As the Wysinger Academic Building begins its next chapter, Redwood High School and Visalia Unified stand as reminders that history lives on through the stories we choose to tell and the names we choose to lift up.