I am excited to announce that Preservation Maryland will soon kick of the Rosenwald Schools of Maryland Initiative.  The Rosenwald School building program played a prominent and pivotal role in the education of African Americans in the early 20th century.  A result of a partnership between Booker T. Washington of Tuskegee Institute and Julius Rosenwald, President of Sears, Roebuck and Company, the Rosenwald Fund provided matching grants for more than 5,000 schools, shops, and teacher’s residences built in 15 southern states, between 1917 and 1932.  The schools became obsolete in 1954 with the Supreme Court ruling that outlawed segregation in education.  Many of the schools were abandoned or demolished and their invaluable contributions forgotten. There are an estimated 800 schools still standing around the country.

Despite their critical role in the education of a large portion of the southern population, Rosenwald Schools are a largely unfamiliar component of the educational history of the United States. As a consequence, the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) named Rosenwald Schools to its 2002 list of Most Endangered sites.  More recently, Rosenwald Schools were designated as one of the first thirty-two of the National Trust’s “National Treasures.” A result of the restructuring of the National Trust, the campaign will eventually establish a portfolio of 100 National Treasures to preserve and protect, with the direct assistance of local preservation partners such as Preservation Maryland.

Restored Ridgeley Rosenwald School

Of the more than 5,000 Rosenwald program buildings constructed, only 156 of the schools and ancillary structures were built in Maryland. However our state boasts a higher percentage than average of extant schools, with 53 currently surviving.  Additionally, Maryland is one of the few states where a survey of the schools has been completed.  A Multiple Property Documentation Form has been submitted with the expectation that Maryland’s Ridgeley Rosenwald School will be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Preservation Maryland has previously supported projects at this site, as well as the Galesville Rosenwald School in Anne Arundel County and Wicomico County’s San Domingo Rosenwald School.  All three sites have been successfully restored and are in active use by the communities in which they are located. The Rosenwald School Initiative seeks to increase the number of schools across the state that will fall into this category.  The goal is to raise public awareness about the schools and put as many as possible back into everyday use.  Preservation Maryland intends to serve as a statewide online clearinghouse for information regarding the schools.  We expect to partner with local and national preservation organizations to provide general information and training opportunities on preservation practices, organizational development and financial assistance to restore and adaptively re-use those schools that are currently vacant.  We’ll also share success stories of those who have labored to save a treasured school.

In the coming months our website will be updated with useful links to pertinent sites related to Rosenwald Schools around the country and in our state.  There will also be opportunities for interested parties to share information about the schools.  I’ll keep you updated.

Marilyn Benaderet/Preservation Services Director