Dispelling the single narrative (myth) of government dependency is imperative. Until the late 20th Century, African-Americans (POC) were forced to do for themselves even when others were receiving the benefits of free public schooling, government subsidized housing, HUD/FHA, GI Bill, Red-lining, college grants, and many other government-funded resources.
People of color had to possess ingenuity in order to survive. The end of slavery was followed by reconstruction, the black code, Jim Crow, separate but (un)equal . The ability to provide for oneself, even when they could afford to do so, was not always an option. We often hear of how Jim Crow laws ensured the separation of races in social environments, such as restaurants, clubs, pools, transportation, etc. However, we rarely hear of the obstacles in economics such as purchasing property, burial insurance, access to bank loans, public education, etc. The black community and Benevolent societies played a huge role in filling the gaps of Segregation and Jim Crow laws. Single-narrative (myth) of government dependency can be dispelled with truth.
https://youtu.be/r4e_djVSag4
Rosenwald Schools were the brain-child of Booker T. Washington, who was the President of the Tuskegee Institute. He realized he had to support the lower education student population in order to grow the higher education institution. He built schools near the Tuskegee Institute to teach black children the basics to prepare them to matriculate to the college.
He invited Julius Rosenwald , the President of Sears and Roebuck and Tuskegee Institute Board Member, to visit the model schools. He pitched his idea and curriculum to spread the concept throughout the country. Rosenwald understood the concept and established the Rosenwald Fund in 1917. A portion of the funds were used to help build African-American schools. The agreement was dependent on African-Americans assisting with the funding. It was a 3-prong partnership. African-American landowners donated the land, the community funded half the construction, the Rosenwald Fund funded half of the construction and the white school board ran the school.
The African-American community held all types of fundraisers to contribute half the building fund, fish fries, dances, donations, etc. The community had to be self-sufficient because the times were separate, but extremely unequal.
Rosenwald School locations:
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