Colonial Williamsburg Restores America’s Oldest Black Schoolhouse, Uncovering a Legacy of Education and Resilience

By Stacy M, Brown, Washington Informer

Colonial Williamsburg is nearing completion on the restoration of the Williamsburg Bray School, the oldest surviving schoolhouse for Black children in America. 

Founded in 1760 by the Associates of Dr. Bray, a British Anglican charity, the school was established to teach enslaved and free Black children to read, albeit through a curriculum that promoted religious submission to slavery. Yet, for the hundreds of students who passed through its doors, literacy opened possibilities far beyond their assigned roles.

The school’s dedication on Nov. 1 marked a milestone in the project’s meticulous restoration efforts, with public tours set to begin this spring. Located on the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg in partnership with William & Mary’s Bray School Lab, the Williamsburg Bray School stands as a testament to the oppression and resilience woven into early American history. 

The Smithsonian’s Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, who served as the keynote speaker, emphasized the significance of the structure by saying that it has “extraordinary potential” to demonstrate how a small number of people’s dreams helped shape the values of many people.

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