Celebrating & Connecting: A Convening of North Carolina Rosenwald Schools was presented by the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, in partnership with the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the State Historic Preservation Office.
The event took place on November 21 & 22, 2024 at the McKimmon Center, NC State University in Raleigh, NC.
Our own Willa Wyatt speaks briefly about the Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School during Session #3.
Watch each session at youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-qFLdXfIOfwwawFzTBF2DVhfFHzOYM5a
Opening Plenary
Speakers:
D. Reid Wilson Secretary, N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Adrienne Nirdé Director, N.C. African American Heritage Commission
Ramona Bartos Director, Historical Resources
Dr. Valerie Ann Johnson Chair, N.C. African American Heritage Commission
Keynote speaker: Dr. Dudley Flood
Grounding Ceremony and Awards
John Lee Chapman III, spoken word and movement performance.
Mary D. Williams, gospel music performance.
Awardees: Cori Greer-Banks, Dr. Sonny Kelly, Dr. Richard Newkirk
Posthumous Awardee: Claudia Stack
Panel Session 1
Preservation Best Practices for Historic Structures & National Register Listing
Presenters: Claudia Brown, Elizabeth King, Brett Sturm, Sarah Woodard
The history of the Rosenwald Fund in North Carolina, best practices in restoration, an
overview of the National Register of Historic Places, and the current work in surveying Rosenwald schools across the state.
Panel Session 2
Fisk University’s Julius Rosenwald Fund Archival Collection
Presenters: DeLisa Minor Harris, LaTaevia Berry, Dr. Samantha Gilmore, Joanna Soderberg
Presenters will give an overview of the collection, the digitization process and how researchers can access and use the collection for their needs.
Panel Session 3
Projects in Process Updates from the Local Field
Presenters: Dr. Melissa Stuckey, Terri White, Willa Wyatt
This panel includes a conversation with stewards of the Siloam School, the Model Practice School, and the Mars Hill School. Each school has undergone renovations and restorations and this presentation will focus on how these schools got to where they are, the challenges to overcome, and tips for the planning process. Learn about the process behind restoring a school, generating support, and current projects within the three Rosenwald schools.
Panel Session 4
Projects in Process Updates from the National Field
Presenters: Dr. Dorothy Canter, Alan Spears
This panel discusses the efforts of the National Parks Conservation Association work to steward a new generation of practitioners for Rosenwald schools and the National Park Service’s campaign to establish a Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools Historic National Park.
Inspiring Future Generations:
Preserving Legacy of Rosenwald Schools Through Todays K-12 Classrooms
Presenters: Christie Norris, Cori Greer-Banks, Jamie Lathan, Matthew Scialdone, Simonae Williams
K-12 educators from across the state will delve into the importance of integrating the history of Rosenwald Schools into classroom learning, helping students educational significance. Educators will share approaches for engaging students with the legacy of Rosenwald Schools and the rich history of Black education in North Carolina, including ideas for community partnerships and interactive history projects.
Extra Session
Oral Histories at the State Archives
Presenters: John Horan and Annabeth Poe, State Archives of North Carolina
This is an overview of what oral history is, a discussion of one of our collections, the School Integration and Desegregation Project.