Northside Museum Explores the History of African-American Education and Rosenwald Schools

by | Mar 10, 2017 | School Restorations

As part of Pittsylvania County’s 250 Year Anniversary, Northside High School Museum will be exploring the history of black education in the county. It will trace the educational pathway for northern Pittsylvania County black students from 1903 until 1969 and feature an exhibit on Rosenwald Schools.

Documenting the school’s early beginnings also includes photos and information about Northside’s more than 80 feeder schools, one and two-room community schools that offered African-American students an elementary education.
Some of these feeder schools were Rosenwald schools.

Virginia’s very own educator Booker T. Washington came up with the concept of Rosenwald schools and approached philanthropist Julius Rosenwald with the idea.

The Rosenwald school building program provided funds for rural schools on behalf of African-American children in the south between the Civil War and the Civil Rights era. There were possibly 360 Rosenwald schools in Virginia and at least 16 in Pittsylvania County.

The museum is located at Corner Road Baptist Church in the Riceville-Java community. 1444 Riceville Rd, Java, VA 24565.

Google Maps Screenshot

Google Maps Screenshot

Rosenwald Continues to Bring Unity

by | Nov 21, 2016 | School Restorations

Waynesboro Rosenwald School today

Staunton, VA: Rosenwald screened at Mary Baldwin University last week. The local synagogue and local African-American church co-hosted the screening. This partnership undeniably would have made Julius Rosenwald smile. Rosenwald school alumni from neighboring Waynesboro spoke after the film about their experiences going to a Rosenwald school and being given an opportunity in a time when few opportunities were given to those of color. After the discussion it was formerly decided to start a local Jewish/African-American coalition. Rosenwald would be proud that we still strive to come together in a divisive time.

Read more about the Waynesboro Rosenwald School here.

Cleveland County Rosenwald Building Damaged in Fire

by | Oct 26, 2016 | School Restorations

Photo Courtesy of the Historic Shelby Foundation

The Cleveland County Training School #2, N.C. was damaged by a fire September 15. The building was a historic Rosenwald School and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s owned by Christ Temple Apostolic Family Worship Center Inc and was being used to store the church’s clothing closet and food pantry for the homeless, both of which perished during the fire. The damage was too extensive to determine the cause of the fire.

Ted Alexander, of Preservation North Carolina said, “It was the last Rosenwald related school in Cleveland County.” More than 5,000 Rosenwald Schools were established by Julius Rosenwald and were built across 15 southern states during the early 20th century and primarily used for the education of African-American children. “Those are nationally important so it’s sad that it burned.” Elder Mark McDowell, a Christ Temple board member says that despite the damage, they would still like the building redeveloped and renovated so its history can be preserved and be open to the community.

Read more on this story here.

Veterans of a NC Rosenwald School join President Obama at the African American Museum’s Opening

by | Oct 26, 2016 | Rosenwald Fund, School Restorations, Social Justice Work

In 1951, John Dudley, Harold and Frances Suggs, and Eleanor Darden Stewart led a student organized walkout of their all-black Adkin High School in Kinston, NC to demand better conditions at the school. On Saturday, September 24 they were among the first members of the public to visit the new National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Back in 1951, they came up with a list of demands including a proper gym, a vocational shop, more classrooms and a home economics area, and took them to a board of education meeting in Kinston. Despite the school board’s initial declaration of a lack of resources within 18 months the students got everything they asked for.
Adkin High School was a “Rosenwald school” built in 1928 for African American students with the help of philanthropist Julius Rosenwald who helped build many such schools across the South in the early 1900s. You can read more about the walkout here.
Visitors to the National Museum of African American History will have the opportunity to view desks from the Rosenwald Hope School in Pomaria, South Carolina.

Read more of the article here

92nd Anniversary of Fairview School Features Rosenwald Screening

by | Oct 26, 2016 | Rosenwald Screenings, School Restorations

The Northwest Georgia News is reporting on the upcoming 92nd Anniversary Celebration of the Fairview School Symposium and Gala Weekend, November 11 and 12. The event benefits the Fairview-E.S. Brown School in Cave Spring near Rome, GA, which is one of four buildings that stood on a Rosenwald campus.
The highlight of the weekend is the screening of Rosenwald on November 12 at the Historic DeSoto Theatre.

There are places in this world that should not be forgotten.
A little one-room school building in Cave Spring is one such place. It may not boast any fancy architecture and it doesn’t have a long list of famous alumni. But at one time, this small building represented hope, education and a future for many African American children across several counties. . . . Much of its history has been lost, but the building remains an example of segregated education and the impact it had on the children and the surrounding communities at the time. -“Forever Fairview: Restoring and Preserving History,” by Severo Avila, Features Editor, Northwest Georgia News

Read more of the article here

Anadarko (TX) Rosenwald School Site Gets Historical Marker

by | Sep 6, 2016 | School Restorations

The school burned down 70 years ago, but many in the area still remember it well.

The Anadarko community is south of Henderson, settled by former slaves in the late 1860s, and it has been officially designated an historical site by the Texas Historical Commission and the unveiling of the Anadarko Rosenwald School Historical Marker.

Historical markers may seem a common site around Texas, but there were only 15 approved in the last year, and the Anadarko community is getting a large one….

Read full article and see video here