The Rosenwald Schools of the American South.

The Rosenwald Schools of the American South

Mary S. Hoffschwelle

University Press of Florida

15 NW 15th Street, Gainsville, FL 32611-2079

0813029570 $39.95 www.upf.com 352-392-1351

Written by Mary S. Hoffschwelle (professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University), The Rosenwald Schools of the American South is the true story of a partnership to build model schools for black children during the Jim Crow era in the South, with positive repercussions lasting to the present day. The Rosenwald Project, which began with Booker T. Washington and received the backing of the Tuskegee Institute and Sears, Roebuck & Co. president Julius Rosenwald, created more than 5,300 schools and auxiliary buildings from 1912 to 1932 in 15 Southern states. Scores of these schools remain today, as they were designed for maximum efficiency, space for learning, and serving as a cultural and social center of African American communities; ironically, their existence helped set high standards for white schools. The Rosenwald Schools of the American South meticulously examines all aspects of the Rosenwald Schools, including their contributions to architecture, community, education, and their role in formalizing a state education program that would one day include black children. A detailed and scholarly study, especially recommended for American History reference shelves as well as public and college libraries.