Back in June, David and Laurie presented at the National Rosenwald Schools Conference in Durham. Their session, entitled 'Restoring your Rosenwald School: A Road Map to Success,' outlined the process for restoration from start to finish.
The National Rosenwald Schools Conference has become an incredible resource for organizations and alumni who are committed to restoring the buildings that were once lively community centers. Many of these buildings have fallen into disrepair and are underutilized or even vacant. The process of restoration can often be a daunting challenge, but with a little preparation and a lot of team work, Rosenwald Schools are being restored all across the Southeast.
Tackling the restoration of a Rosenwald school is a complex process- from funding to community support to public understanding, it can be tough to know where to start. Sometimes after years of alterations and repairs it can be hard to even recognize the original structure.
The conference serves not only as a way to share knowledge on these topics, but as a way to share memories and cultural history. The network of Rosenwald Alumni is strong, and as groups continue to rally around these landmarks the community is expanding. The presentations at the conference ranged from oral history to understanding the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for restoration. Now the NC Department of Cultural Resources has made these information-packed sessions available online: click here for video
We are so pleased to have the opportunity to share our experience in Rosenwald School Restoration, and we look forward to continuing the friendships we have developed throughout the process.
Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington