New exhibit explores a wooden schoolhouse’s place in Charlotte’s Black history
In 1903, the Mecklenburg County school board purchased an acre of land in east Charlotte for a mere $10. Today, the Siloam School — the building that was constructed on that land in 1920 — is considered priceless.
The Charlotte Museum of History will unveil a new exhibit Saturday that highlights the impact the Siloam School has had on education in Charlotte. The exhibit also showcases the process and importance behind saving and preserving historical landmarks, and it encourages visitors to think more critically about the history of schooling and segregation in America.
The exhibit consists of floor-to-ceiling diagrams, historical artifacts found in or around the school, a virtual walk-through of the school and a rotunda-esque display that makes visitors feel as if they are inside the schoolhouse.
The school was named after the cornerstone of its community, the Siloam Presbyterian Church. The church was destroyed in a fire, and the school is the last trace of the Siloam community, museum CEO and president Adria Focht said.
“The only public records of that historic, African American community are of the cemetery and this school,” Focht said. “Our goal is to save it, fund it and tell the story of it.”
The Siloam School is one of thousands of Rosenwald Schools built in the segregated rural South. Rosenwald schools were simple, one- to four-room schools funded by the community and by Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Co. The schools were built for Black children in the South in the early 1900s and served as the cornerstone for some rural communities.
More than 800 Rosenwald schools were constructed throughout North Carolina and 26 went up in Mecklenburg — the most of any county in the U.S. Today, the Siloam School is one of approximately seven Rosenwald schools remaining in the county.
The pride that fueled these schools was felt deeply. In many case, Focht said, families in these communities would sacrifice their crops and lease their farm animals to fund their children’s education.
Since 2017, education specialists Lauren Wallace and Angel Johnson have pored over public records, decades-old meeting minutes and previously recorded oral histories.
Right now, the historic school is tucked away near UNC Charlotte. The quaint, one-room, wooden schoolhouse is fully intact and boasts much of its original paint and woodwork. But it sits eerily juxtaposed against modern-day apartment buildings and bustling roads — for now.
Soon, the school will be uprooted and returned to its former glory. This time, instead of being tucked away from the public eye, it will be put on display at the Charlotte Museum of History.
“We want this to be a community space,” Focht said. “So, in August, we’re hosting a community listening session here so that people can chime in either way and tell us what they want. After all, this is a community building meant for education. Those are the two things we know for sure — it’s going to be about unity and education.”
Wallace echoed her co-worker’s sentiments, optimism apparent in her voice.
“An exhibit is nothing but an idea — what you really have to know is what the public wants and needs,” Wallace said. “This exhibit will ultimately be a space for dialogue and learning.”
According to its website, the museum hopes to use the restored schoolhouse as an educational space for programs and exhibits that foster dialogue, especially around social justice, racial inequity and the history of school segregation.
But first, the building needs to find its forever home.
The estimated cost to relocate and restore the school hovers around $1 million. According to Focht and Wallace, well over half of the fundraising has been accounted for thanks to generous sponsors and in-kind donations.
The museum hopes that community engagement with the new exhibit and continued education about the Siloam School will propel fundraising efforts over the finish line soon. With half of the funds in pocket, the search for an architect to lead the relocation is underway and by the end of 2021, the museum plans to welcome the school to Shamrock Drive.
Siloam School Historical Exhibit
When: Saturday, June 12
Where: The Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive
Tickets
▪ If you are interested in checking out the museum’s new exhibit, go to www.charlottemuseum.org, click the “Events” tab, scroll to the ad for the African American Heritage Festival and reserve your tickets. Space is limited.
▪ If you are unable to get tickets but would still like to see the new Siloam School exhibit, the museum will be open every Saturday starting on June 26.
More info: www.charlottemuseum.org
