George Peabody
Mr. J. B. Lafargue founded Peabody Industrial School in 1895, with the assistance of his wife, Mrs. S.C.B. Mayo Lafargue. Peabody was the only public school for Black students in Alexandria with grades 1 - 7 for many years. The school was named Peabody because of a grant that was given by George Peabody, a wealthy philanthropist and head of the George Peabody Foundation.