ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
The Campaign to Create the Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park was inspired by two events -- the addition in 2002 of the Rosenwald Schools to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of most endangered historic places in America, and the release in 2015 of the documentary film “Rosenwald,” by filmmaker Aviva Kempner.
Inspired by the film, representatives of the National Parks Conservation Association and the National Trust met in 2016 to explore a way to honor the legacy of Julius Rosenwald and preserve the Rosenwald Schools. Other highly dedicated volunteers soon joined in to establish the Rosenwald Park Campaign, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Campaign envisions a National Historical Park comprising a state-of-the-art visitor center in Chicago that would interpret Rosenwald’s overall legacy and a small number of Rosenwald Schools throughout the south complemented by a Network of Rosenwald Schools.
The Campaign’s first activity was to solicit recommendations of Rosenwald Schools for possible inclusion in the Park from the State Historic Preservation Officers in the 15 states in which they were built; 55 Schools and one teacher home were recommended. Campaign representatives visited 33 of the Schools and the teacher home and issued a report on the school facilities in 2021.
The Campaign has prepared four additional reports. All five are available on the Campaign website at https://www.rosenwaldpark.org/documents.
August 2022 was the 160th anniversary of Julius Rosenwald’s birth and the 110th anniversary of the launch of the Rosenwald Schools Building Program. We commemorated these milestones by cosponsoring programs with other nonprofit organizations at the San Domingo Rosenwald School in Maryland and the Pine Grove Rosenwald School in South Carolina.
The Campaign has received letters of support for creating the National Historical Park from over 200 nonprofit organizations representing a robust and diverse range of constituencies, both national and local.
In June 2019 Senator Richard Durbin and Congressman Danny Davis, both of Illinois, jointly introduced The Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Study Act, directing the NPS to conduct a special resource study (SRS) of the sites associated with the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools. It quickly developed bipartisan support. In December 2020 the final bill passed overwhelmingly in both Houses of Congress and was signed into law (Public Law 116–336) on January 13, 2021.
The NPS commenced the SRS in April 2022 and received more than 2,000 comments during its public comment period that July. The final report was submitted to Congress on June 13, 2024. It concluded that Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools are of national historic significance and recommended that the San Domingo Rosenwald School in Maryland become a National Historic Site and that a network of Rosenwald Schools with grant making authority be established. The study also recommended several alternatives for a future visitor center in Chicago. This was a significant step forward.
The Campaign’s most important goal for 2024 is to have President Biden proclaim the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Monument through his authority under the Antiquities Act. The National Monument will be a precursor to the ultimate National Historical Park, which needs to be created through Congressional legislation. Several National Parks have started as National Monuments, most notably the Grand Canyon National Park.
Toward that goal we are working on obtaining letters to the President from Members of Congress, other organizations and individuals requesting that he proclaim the National Monument. To date Senator Richard Durbin has submitted a letter co-signed by eight Senators to President Biden making that request. Alderwoman Monique Scott of Ward 24 in Chicago also submitted a letter making the same request.
The Campaign produced a 10-minute film that won awards at five film festivals in 2023. It has been included in events sponsored both by the Campaign and other organizations. It is publicly available at https://explore.theparkschannel.com/explore-parks/julius-rosenwald-schools-national-historic-park-campaign-charles-poe.
The Campaign continues to have in person and virtual events with support groups of Rosenwald Schools and other organizations to help spread this remarkable story. Please contact us at info@rosenwaldpark.org if you are interested in sponsoring such an event.
In February 2024 the Campaign leased office space in the Nichols Tower in the North Lawndale section of Chicago. The tower is all that remains of the very large Sears, Roebuck merchandising facility built in 1905-06. This historic space gives the Campaign a presence in Chicago and a place to meet community leaders.
The Campaign has been collecting memorabilia for four years to donate to the visitor center of the ultimate National Historical Park. The collection has grown to include an oil portrait of Julius Rosenwald, his desk and strongbox from his office at Sears, Roebuck, four original Sears catalogs, first edition books by notable Rosenwald Fund Fellows, vintage newspapers documenting Rosenwald’s life and death, vintage postcards of Sears and other artifacts.
Guiding the Campaign is its highly accomplished and diverse Board of Directors, with support from its Advisory Council.
For more information on how you can contribute to the Campaign and receive all the latest updates on our efforts, click here.
June 17, 2024
Noble Hill Rosenwald School, Bartow County, Georgia