History
The Rosenwald School Program
The Rosenwald School Program resulted from a partnership that unfolded between Booker T. Washington, president of Tuskegee Institute, Julius Rosenwald, founder and owner of Sears and Roebuck Co., and rural Black communities, to build formal schoolhouses – efforts which research has shown endured and gained momentum after the abolition of slavery. The Rosenwald School Program began in 1912 when Booker T. Washington approached Julius Rosenwald for seed funding to support rural African American communities’ efforts to build schoolhouses in Alabama. Julius Rosenwald, who was a supporter of Tuskegee Institute, agreed to provide seed funds that would be joined with funding provided by Blacks’ and public funding.
Booker T. Washington
(April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915)
Julius Rosenwald
August 12, 1862 – January 6, 1932
The Program began in 1912 with six schools in Macon County, Alabama. By 1938, the Program would grow from six schools in Macon County, Alabama to over 5,300 schools throughout the South; 389 of these schools were built in the state of Alabama. By 1916, this momentum spread to Pickens County, where Blacks established the first of six Rosenwald Schools (Pickens County Training School) to serve the community.
Notably, research has shown Julius Rosenwald donated 4 million dollars to the Rosenwald Program, and the African American community (e.g., farmers, sharecroppers, laborers etc.) raised 4.8 million dollars as well as provided labor, materials, and land. African Americans in Pickens County had a long commitment to education.
Note, as early as 1905, Pickens County school board records indicate blacks were building schoolhouses by any means necessary. The Rosenwald School Program helped to forward the vision and self-determination of the community.
Pickens County Training School Diploma, Ana Ruth Davis
Personal Collection of Lanaya Davis (Granddaughter)