06/17/2026
Experience Tennessee
Today Monty’s Histerical Monument visited The O. H. Bernard Rosenwald School And Community Center in Centerville, TN. This location was the only school for African American students grades 1-12 in Hickman County. Today it serves as a Community Center.
Julius Rosenwald grew up in a Jewish/German immigrant family. A clothier and a supplier to Sears Roebuck and Company eventually becoming the President from 1908 to 1922. Together with Booker T. Washington saw the need in rural areas to educate children of former slaves following The Civil War.
With funds from the Rosenwald fund, private donations, and contributions from African American Communities they matched grants enabling the construction of 5,388 schools, teacher homes, and 163 shop buildings throughout the South.
Today throughout the southern states many are seeing the importance of preserving these magnificent school buildings. There were many graduates including author Maya Angelou and Pulitzer Prize journalist Eugene Robinson.
I have only written a brief note on this fascinating piece of history and encourage everyone to learn more about it.
Don’t just Travel Tennessee…EXPERIENCE TENNESSEE!!