Washington Graded School

Washington Graded School was built here about 1924 to serve African American students. The Parents' Civil League, a local organization of African Americans, conveyed the land to the district school board. Contributions for the two-teacher building came from the black community ($1,200), Rappahannock County ($1,600), and the Julius Rosenwald Fund ($700). Established by the president of Sears, Roebuck, and Co. and inspired by the work of Booker T. Washington, that fund helped build more than 5,000 schools for black students between 1917 and 1932. Washington Graded School closed in 1967 when county schools were desegregated, and the school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Washington, Virginia · United States