We were delighted to welcome the Villages News Network to speak with our own Charles Fields about the history of our school. Check out the interview below!
About
Rosenwald Schools were built primarily in the South in the early 20th century. This endeavor was a philanthropic effort to provide schooling for impoverished Black children. It began when Booker T. Washington joined with the philanthropist and President of Sears-Roebuck, Julius Rosenwald, to build more than 5,300 schools across fifteen states between 1912 and 1932. By 1928, more than one third of the South’s children were educated in Rosenwald schools. When the Supreme Court declared segregation in education unconstitutional in 1954, Black children were moved out of Rosenwald schools and integrated into previously White-only schoolhouses. Over the intervening decades, most Rosenwald Schools have fallen into disrepair. In recent years there has been an effort to preserve these historic buildings. The National Trust joined with local activists in this preservation effort, and recently Rosenwald Schools were placed on the National Trust’s 11 most endangered historic places.
Who We Are
The Okahumpka Community Club consists of people who live, work and worship in Okahumpka as well as others who share our goals of preserving our unique heritage and creating a more just future.
Our Mission
We are a diverse group of people working together to preserve and restore the Okahumpka Rosenwald School so that it can continue to function as a historical site and a place of community enrichment.
Why We Act
Building on the courageous work of Booker T Washington, Julius Rosenwald, Virgil Hawkins and Okahumpka residents in building our Rosenwald School, we continue this collaborative spirit as we work together for a more equitable society.
Our Rosenwald School has been added to the National Register of Historic Places!
Check out the listing at the Florida Department of State HERE
We are thrilled to be working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Florida Department of State, the University of Florida, KMF Architects, MAJ Architecture & Design, and Little Little Diversified Architectural Consulting.
We Want Your Stories
We are collecting stories, remembrances, and histories involving the Okahumpka School and life in the rural South. If you would like to share your story, we encourage you to contact us at okahumpkarosenwald@gmail.com. We would love to speak with you!
Check out this great piece about us on NPR! Link!
Left to Right: 2021 -Okahumpka Community Club Inc. Board Members: Joseph Branham PhD ( At-Large Board Member), Chip D'Amico (At-Large Board Member), Reverend Amanda Bordenkircher (At-Large Board Member), Velma Smith (Vice President), Charles Fields (Treasurer), Denise Gibbs (President), Danny Watson (At-Large Board Member) Missing: Barry Dixon (Secretary )
Left to Right: Harley Herman, Esquire (Founder & President of the Virgil Hawkins Historical Society), Harriet Hawkins Livingston (Niece of Virgil Hawkins), Jerry Klinger ( President of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation -JASHP)
Left to Right: William Cogburn, Diane Lasher Cogburn, Julius Deutsch (Great-Great-Great Grandson of Julius Rosenwald), Megan Cogburn holding William Deutsch (Great-Great-Great Grandson of Julius Rosenwald), Stephanie Deutsch (Married to David Deutsch-not present- Great Grandson of Julius Rosenwald), Noah Deutsch (Great-Great Grandson of Julius Rosenwald),
Left to Right: 2021 -Okahumpka Community Club Inc. Board Members: Joseph Branham PhD ( At-Large Board Member), Chip D'Amico (At-Large Board Member), Reverend Amanda Bordenkircher (At-Large Board Member), Velma Smith (Vice President), Charles Fields (Treasurer), Denise Gibbs (President), Danny Watson (At-Large Board Member) Missing: Barry Dixon (Secretary )
Links To More Information
Donate
Checks can be made payable to "Okahumpka Community Club" and note "Building Fund"
OCC PO Box 174, Okahumpka, Florida, 34762
Contact
We recognize the wealth of gifts that we have in one another. Get in touch and join us!
Okahumpka Community Club
P.O. Box 174
Okahumpka, Florida, 34762