PHOTO/TROY HULL

The former Siloam School was built in the 1920s in University City.

Local institutions have stepped up to save and restore the historic Siloam Rosenwald School.

Built in the 1920s in what is today’s University City, Siloam (pronounced “Cy-lome”) has fallen into disrepair after years of neglect, but the Charlotte Museum of History is leading a project to raise funds to restore it as an educational and community gathering place.

“The goal of the project is to restore the Siloam School and relocate it to the grounds of The Charlotte Museum of History, where it will become an important centerpiece in our efforts to engage the community in our region’s history,” museum CEO and President Kay Peninger said. “One way we interpret this history is by telling the stories of the original peoples who settled this region, including African Americans. This school building will provide another tangible connection to that history. Our vision is to bring the community together to accomplish this project, just as the community came together to build the school originally.”

The school, named for Siloam Presbyterian Church, located about 1.5 miles to the north, replaced a log structure. Siloam’s history dates to 1903 when the Mecklenburg County’s school board bought an acre of land from F. E. Query for $10 to build a school for black children in the Mallard Creek area. Charlotte City Council designated the campus a historic landmark in 2006.

Rosenwald Schools were built throughout the South during the early 20th century to provide education opportunities for African American children. Some were established by communities while others received funding from a foundation launched by Sears Roebuck President Julius Rosenwald. George E. Davis, the first African American professor at Johnson C. Smith University, served as North Carolina’s Rosenwald agent, overseeing the construction of 813 schools across the state, with 26 in Mecklenburg County.

“We cannot say for certain that the Siloam School was an official Rosenwald School, though some sources suggest it was,” Peninger said. “What we can say is that it was built by the community in the Rosenwald School tradition, and it had a profound impact on the lives of many African American children throughout the South during the Jim Crow era. It should be preserved and honored as such.”

The initiative (approximately $600,000) would make Siloam a permanent exhibit, adding it to the museum’s regular tours depicting the history of Charlotte’s African American community as it relates to the national narrative.

In order to raise funds, the museum has partnered with Silver Star Community Inc.  Tribute Companies, the Historic Landmarks Commission and Aldersgate Retirement Community to restore the school, as well as Charlotte City Council member Greg Phipps, whose district includes the school’s current site. In addition to moving and restoring the building, as well as placing a historic marker at the original site, the museum is raising funds through a tax-deductible initiative.

“Community involvement will be a key part of this project. We plan for a portion of the permanent exhibit to be community-curated. It will include stories and memories from Rosenwald School students and their families,” Peninger said. “It’s important that we have community input into how we interpret and share these stories.”

To donate, checks can be sent to The Charlotte Museum of History at 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215. For information, call (704) 568-1774 or email [email protected].

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