Rehoboth Colored School in 1923

Delaware schools were segregated in 1923 when this “colored school” was built on the state highway between Rehoboth Beach and Midway. Many one- and two-room schools for non-white students dotted the countryside, serving population clusters wherever they sprouted.

This building was one of 80 schools built for Black students in Delaware with financing from industrialist and philanthropist Pierre S. du Pont, who was determined to improve public education in Delaware. Of the 80 schools, 33 were located in Sussex County.

This two-room building replaced a one-room structure. Construction began in August 1922 and completed in January 1923 for a cost of $9,711. View the photo in the Hagley Museum and Library’s collection here.