The Brooklyn School is a Rosenwald School affiliated with the Brooklyn CME Church in northern Spartanburg County. Built in 1928, this two-teacher type school cost $3016 to build. Since I first photographed this school, it has rapidly deteriorated. This is the last known Rosenwald standing in Spartanburg County.
Monroe County
The school and original church buildings are long gone, but it’s important to know where the first Black school was located in the state.
I happened to drive by this church on one of my road trips. On the map, it was identified as Snow Hill Church. In my research, I found reference to a church in Wilcox County named Snow Hill that started in 1899, but that was all the info I was able to find.
My friend Brian had it identified as a school first. I was unable to confirm this information. If anyone has more information, please share.
The Alapaha Colored School is one of the last remaining two story, wood frame schoolhouses built for the education of Black schoolchildren. It was in use from 1924-1964. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Built in 1892, the Liberty Hill Schoolhouse was a one-room schoolhouse that replaced an original schoolhouse built in 1869. It operated until 1952 for the Black schoolchildren of the community of Rutledge. Rutledge, started during Reconstriction, was a planned community by formerly enslaved people.
It was put on the National Register of Historic places in 2003.
Located approximately two miles down a dirt road is the Smith Chapel and School. The scene above sits on the front of the church as a greeting for anyone who enters. Founded in 1911, there isn’t much know about the congregation.
