The Micanopy Rosenwald School for Black Children
The Rosenwald School in Micanopy, Florida was a school built for Black students during the era of racial segregation in the United States. The school was one of many such schools built throughout the South with funding from the Rosenwald Fund, a philanthropic organization founded by Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish businessman and philanthropist, and Booker T. Washington, a prominent Black educator and leader.
The Micanopy Rosenwald School was built in 1928 and was one of two Rosenwald schools in Alachua County. The school was a two-room wooden building and was one of the few schools available to Black students in the area at the time. The school served students in grades 1-8 and provided them with a basic education that was otherwise unavailable to them due to segregation. Most of the teachers came from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Howard, Fisk, and Tuskegee Institute.
The school was an important center of education and community life for Black residents of Micanopy and the surrounding area. It provided a safe and supportive environment for Black children to learn and grow, and it also served as a hub for social and cultural activities.