After World War I, a major effort to reform public education addressed inadequate schools across the nation, and Delaware stood at the forefront of that movement. With assistance from the Delaware Auxiliary Association and its primary supporter, P.S. duPont, a program replaced outdated schools, giving first priority to the poor facilities provided for African-American students in the state's segregated schools. In 1921, construction began at this location on a modern building for students from Bridgeville and the surrounding community. Known for a time as the Bridgeville Colored School, it was later named for Phillis Wheatley, the nation's first published African-American poet. Beyond serving elementary and middle school students, the building functioned as a center for community activities. The school was integrated in 1966 and converted for use as North Bridgeville Elementary, later serving as the Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center. After extensive renovation and expansion, the historic structure reopened as Phillis Wheatley Middle School in 2004.