Julius Rosenwald and the Education of Eastern Shore African Americans

George Shivers • October 13, 2020

Maryland’s enslaved people were emancipated by the 1864 state Constitution. However, it did not provide for the establishment of schools for Blacks. The Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of the Colored People attempted to remedy that failure by establishing schools in Baltimore City and on the Eastern Shore, particularly in Millington and Edesville in Kent County. Later they established schools in other communities, including Chestertown.

In 1867, the Freedman’s Bureau took on responsibility for the education of African American children. However, not until 1872 did Maryland legally require every school district to provide schools for African American children. Funding for African American education became a significant need in most counties. Julius Rosenwald helped to solve those problems in many Southern locations, including the Eastern Shore.

Julius Rosenwald was born in Springfield, Ill., in 1862 to Jewish immigrants from Germany. As an adult, he became part-owner and leader of the Sears, Roebuck Co. and established the Rosenwald Fund. He collaborated with Booker T. Washington in the early years of the 20th Century to provide matching grants to construct 5,000 schools for African American children in the rural South. A Fisk University Library index inventories of all Rosenwald-funded schools, including a number on the Eastern Shore.


Besides the Rosenwald Fund support, public funds had to be allocated, But additionally local African American citizens had to provide private funds. For example, in the case of the Glass Hill School in Wicomico County, budgeted in 1929-30, Rosenwald provided $200, local Blacks another $200, and public funds $1,600. The Salisbury High School, funded in 1930-31, cost $73,614, of which Rosenwald paid $6,000, local Blacks $4,000, and public funds $63,614. Note that this money was raised at the beginning the Great Depression.

 

Similarly, a school funded in Cambridge in 1931-32 cost a total of $33,900 of which local Blacks paid $300 and Rosenwald $3,600. The Coleman School in Kent County, funded in 1926-27 cost $4,200, of which local Blacks paid $1,200 and Rosenwald $900. That building was still standing until recently razed. It had been privately owned for decades. I have not found any indication that White citizens ever paid anything for these schools beyond their taxes.

 

One Rosenwald School in Wicomico County has been completely restored and now serves as the San Domingo Community and Cultural Center. It was constructed in 1919.

 

Without Rosenwald’s concern and without his generous financial support, many Black Southerners would have received little if any education.



A List of Eastern Shore Rosenwald Schools by County

 

Caroline County

·     Bethel School

·     Denton School

·     Federalsburg School

·     Jonestown School

 

Cecil County

·     Elkton School

 

Dorchester County

·     Cambridge School

·     Vienna School

 

Kent County

·     Coleman School

·     Sharptown School

 

Queen Anne’s County

·     Carmichael School

·     Chester School

·     Grasonville School

·     Hope School

·     Salem School

·     Union School

 

Somerset County

·     Chance School

·     Crisfield School

·     Dames Quarter School

·     Greenwood School

·     Kingston School

·     Marumsco School

·     Venton School

 

Talbot County

·     Belleview School

·     Eaton School

·     Island Creek Neck School

·     Matthewstown School

·     St. Michael’s School

·     Trappe School

 

Wicomico County

·     San Domingo School

·     Delmar School

·     Glass Hill School

·     North Quantico School

·     Salisbury High School

·     Salisbury Suburban School

·     Sharptown School

·     South Quantico School

·     Wetipquin School

 

Worcester County

·     Bishop School

·     Curtis School

·     Germantown School

·     Girdletree School

·     Mt. Wesley School

·     Newark School

·     Old St. Paul School

·     Pocomoke School

·     Queponco School

·     St. James School

·     Staggsville School

 

 

Sources:

Shivers, Paving the Way Forward: The African American Struggle for Equal Education in Kent County, MD, Kent County Historical Society

https://aahistorydelmarva.wordpress.com/2014/08/23/san-domingos-rosenwald-school-dedication/

http://rosenwald.fisk.edu/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Rosenwald

https://www.rosenwaldpark.org/

https://www.julius-rosenwald-legacy.com/

https://www.npca.org/articles/2167-he-built-schools-to-fight-injustice-and-i-want-you-to-know-his-story

 

 

A native of Wicomico County, George Shivers holds a doctorate from the University of Maryland and taught in the Foreign Language Dept. of Washington College for 38 years before retiring in 2007. He is also very interested in the history and culture of the Eastern Shore, African American history in particular.

 

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