A Separate Place

Booker T. Washington School Service Band Exploring the history of black education in Delaware
Edited by Jennifer Fletcher

Secondhand and outdated books, dilapidated and unsafe school buildings -- these are just some of the harsh conditions black children were subjected to when the state of Delaware mandated racial segregation in its schools.

The new, local production A Separate Place: The Schools P. S. du Pont Built, airing Sunday, February 23 at 6 p.m. on WHYY TV12, tells the story of efforts by African-Americans to obtain equal and quality education during this period through contemporary images and compelling interviews with teachers and students whose lives span 75 years of African-American education. Much of the archival material used in the film is housed at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware.

During the 1920s, black education was inherently inadequate because Delaware was the only state in the union with a segregated tax system. The black community was taxed to support black schools, whereas the wealthier, white community's taxes went to white schools.

Disgusted by "Delaware's backward education system," philanthropist Pierre S. du Pont rebuilt 89 African-American schools. These schools dramatically improved the learning conditions under which black students were taught, and were favorably recognized and rewarded by the black community.

The construction of these schools, particularly of Howard High School (the only free black high school in the states until the 1950s), was crucial since education was the only means for African-Americans to gain economically during the stifling Jim Crow Era. These schools, in turn, became centers for black education and pride.

The program links this pivotal point in black history with current efforts by black Delawarians to preserve, restore and reclaim their former schools as cultural and heritage sites.

A Separate Place airs Sunday, February 23 at 6 p.m. on WHYY TV12.