 |
||
| ||
 |
Professor Studies African-American Rural History |
|
|
In his efforts to preserve South Carolina history, one School of Law professor is making some of his own. Professor O’Neal Smalls has become a force in demonstrating the significance of an aspect of education in Southern schools that had almost vanished from the history records. His work focuses on the success of Julius Rosenwald’s philanthropic funding of rural African-American schools in the South in the early decades of the 20th century.  Smalls’
studies date back to the abolishment of slavery. After emancipation,
states had little interest in African-American education. Northern
missionaries began to establish schools in the South, which eventually
led to the creation of institutions such as Benedict College and
Allen University. “African-American leaders of the South Carolina
Baptist Convention disagreed with some of the policies of northern
missionaries. They decided to create their own ‘rebellious child of
Benedict,’ known as Morris College,” Professor Smalls said. “However,
even with the work of missionaries and African-American community
leaders, education was limited. With little attention from the state,
there were very few schools and all of them were inadequate.”In the early 1900s, Julius Rosenwald was impressed with the autobiography of Booker Taliafer Washington, who had established the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama for African-American children, which later became Tuskegee University. Rosenwald was then president and chair of the board of Sears Roebuck and Company, and an active philanthropist. Inspired by Washington’s life, Rosenwald embarked on cooperative ventures with Washington for the advancement of African Americans in the rural south. In 1917, he established the Julius Rosenwald Fund; among other things, the fund provided matching grants for the construction of schools, with local residents raising funds and making in-kind contributions. By 1928, one in every five rural schools for African-American students in the South was a Rosenwald school; in South Carolina the initiative resulted in the construction of nearly 500 schools. Smalls became interested in Rosenwald schools while studying African-American agricultural history. His work eventually led to the Julius Rosenwald Schools Workshop/Reunion, held in fall 2003, focusing on Rosenwald Schools in South Carolina. The workshop, co-sponsored with the African American Studies Program at USC, featured panelists known for their expertise in education and African-American history. Included on the panel was Dr. Peter Max Ascoli of Chicago, the grandson of Julius Rosenwald, whom Smalls located and recruited to participate. In the workshop, Smalls introduced his findings on the historic schools that offered education to so many African Americans who otherwise had minimal access to academic opportunities. “It’s hard to imagine what rural education would have been in those early periods, before the state became involved in the education of African Americans, had it not been for Julius Rosenwald,” Professor Smalls said. Rosenwald’s tremendous contributions were utilized in South Carolina until the state’s desegregation in 1963. When school boards decided to refrain from using the Rosenwald schools, the buildings fell into disrepair. “Many of the schools cannot be reconstructed,” Smalls said. “At the time, the African-American community was focused on desegregation and the new era. They didn’t pay much attention to the historical aspects of Rosenwald schools.” Though many of the buildings have disappeared entirely, Professor Smalls has helped to identify 15 former Rosenwald Schools in Horry County alone. With the continued efforts of people like Professor Smalls, South Carolinians will have at least a record of their history. In another effort to preserve African-American rural history, Smalls also serves as president and chair of the Freewoods Foundation. The foundation established Freewoods Farm, the only historical living farm museum in the United States dedicated to recreating life on farms owned or operated by African Americans. Recognizing the enormous contributions made by African-American farmers to the economy of South Carolina and the nation, Freewoods Farm provides education, documentation, and preservation of the activities and practices of those early farmers. Freewoods Farm is located in Myrtle Beach, S.C. ■ |
||
| USC LINKS: | DIRECTORY | MAP | EVENTS | VIP |
| Columbia, SC 29208 • 803-777-6857 • lawweb@law.sc.edu | © University of South Carolina Board of Trustees |