The Fight to Preserve African-American History

Brent Leggs is the director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He and his colleagues are working to protect the remaining Rosenwald schools and other sites significant to black history. Leggs himself graduated from a Rosenwald school. Read the full article from The New Yorker here.

Colin Kaepernick isn’t bending to the NFL

Colin Kaepernick isn’t bending to the NFL, and he’s beating the league at its own game

“It isn’t the beat or the hook that makes “This Is America” by Childish Gambino so compelling, so memorable. It’s the ingenious allusion in lyrics and, most notably, imagery in its video — for example, a biblical image from Revelation 6:8 symbolizing police killings of black citizens — to the struggle of being black and marginalized in America…” Read the rest of the article here

Tuskegee Visit & Rosenwald at Know Your Chicago

We are thrilled to announce that Rosenwald is included in Know Your Chicago 2019, a series designed to promote civic awareness and participation. This year, the series features events honoring the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald.
 
A screening of Rosenwald is part of the symposium on Wednesday, September 24 with a panel discussion to include director Aviva Kempner, Rosenwald’s grandson Peter Ascoli and curator Daniel Schulman. The screening and panel events are free and made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
 
In addition, a tour will take place September 24th and 25th to include a look at the Rosenwald Courts Apartments.
Go to the website for more information. Know Your Chicago is presented by the Know Your Chicago Committee and the University of Chicago Graham School.

Rosenwald in Tuskegee

Rosenwald was part of an exciting and historical project: Addressing the Un-Addressed: The Tuskegee Civil Rights Trail
 
The project aimed to recognize and place thirteen historic markers, including one for Julius Rosenwald, at various sites within the community that are affiliated with the Civil Rights Movement in Tuskegee, Alabama.
 
Aviva Kempner attended the launch of the project on September 12 and 13 with an enthusiastic crowd, attendees from Rosenwald Schools and organizers. Stay tuned for more on this amazing event!
Survey says: Eight Rosenwald Schools still standing in Pittsylvania County

Survey says: Eight Rosenwald Schools still standing in Pittsylvania County

 

A two-year study conducted by Preservation Virginia found that out of the 126 schools that were built with money from the Rosenwald Fund, eight of them are still standing—in Pittsylvania County. You can read more information about the study and the personal accounts of two men, Gene Ferguson and James Adams, who attended one of these Pittsylvania school at the link below.

Read more here!

 

Remembering Julius Rosenwald

Remembering Julius Rosenwald

 

Join us as we commemorate the birthday of philanthropist and businessman Julius Rosenwald, who would have been 157 years old today. We share his story in our film, Rosenwald, which was released in 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

Rosenwald to be shown in Oklahoma City

The Ciesla Foundation is excited to announce that Rosenwald will have a special screening at the Temple B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City, OK. The screening will take place on Sunday August 18th at 1:30 pm. The film will be followed by a talk about “Education and Justice: Understanding and Reawakening the Black-Jewish Partnership”. This was all made possible due to the cosponsorship of the Ralph Ellison Foundation. All are welcome, click here for more information.

 

 

 

Ford President, Rosenwald Donor Featured in the NYT

Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, contributed to the making of the bonus features for theRosenwald DVD. He continues to live in the spirit of Julius Rosenwaldthrough his extensive philanthropic work. The Ford Foundation’s giving is reminiscent of the Rosenwald Fund. Read about Walker’s work here!

 

 

 

 

 

More Rosenwald Events

Stay tuned for more exciting news about Rosenwald screenings and Julius Rosenwald themed events to be planned at Tuskegee University, in Alabama, and on the University of Chicago campus in September. Details to follow.

Bill Silverstein to be awarded the Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award

Bill Silverstein to be awarded the Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award

At the Jewish Federation of Chicago’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 17th, President Lonnie Nasatir will present Bill Silverstein with the 56th Annual Julius Rosenwald Memorial Award. This award is the Federation’s highest honor and will be awarded to Silverstein, a real estate developer, for his great philanthropic work and elevation of the Jewish community in the Chicago area. Congratulations Bill and keep up the great work!

To read more on the award and the Annual Meeting, click here: https://www.juf.org/news/local.aspx?id=448162