ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Back in the early 1900's, thousands of Rosenwald Schools were built to help educate young African Americans during a time when schools were segregated. Nowadays, only around 300 of these buildings remain.
“The national trust identified Rosenwald Schools as America’s most endangered," said the project's primary investigator, Dr. Melissa Stuckey. "Which is to say these are historic kinds of buildings that are in danger of disappearing."
Up to the early 1900's, many African American kids were still attending schools that had been established right after slavery. Not only were these buildings old, but they weren't intended to be schools. Kids would learn in re-purposed sheds or barns and even sit in church pews.
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“They were not built to be schools," Stuckey told News 3. "They were often in very poor condition, very little light, very little heating."
To help bring better education to this community, philanthropist and businessman Julius Rosenwald, teamed up with famed educator Booker T. Washington to establish a fund and build these Rosenwald Schools. The one on ECSU's campus was a little different. It was used to train teachers.
“It was designed in the size, shape and appearance of a country Rosenwald school so that they would have a very hands on experience in a practical way to the types of schools that they would expect to get jobs in after they graduated," Stuckey said.
"It was kind of a mother school to many other schools and teachers that web out all across this region," said Charles Reed, Chair and Associate Professor of history at ECSU.
In June 2023, the university received three grants from the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund to restore two campus historical landmarks, one of them being the Rosenwald School. A portion of the money will go towards rehabilitation of the school, with another part of it being used for research, design and installation of exhibits.
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“Our aspiration is to turn it into a history and heritage center where we preserve and interpret and exhibit the history of particularly education in this region," Reed said.
The renovation will include museum space, classroom space and will be used for a variety of events to make sure it isn't just a place that made history, but a place that will continue to make history.
“We can show films there, we can do workshops that can support folks who want to do other kinds of historic preservation work in the community," Stuckey said.
The school is set to re-open in late 2025.
