The Mirowitz Center is unearthing a remarkable yet overlooked chapter of American history in honor of Black History Month.
“It’s a fabulous story that’s under the radar and a lot of people don’t know,” said author Stephanie Deutsch.
Now St. Louisans are invited to join Deutsch in delving into this tale of collaboration and empowerment.
You Need a Schoolhouse
In her book, “You Need a Schoolhouse,” Deutsch tells the story of Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute and how in 1911, the two leaders began a decades-long friendship and partnership that resulted in more than 5,000 schoolhouses being built in Black communities across the south, including in Missouri.
“Both Washington and Rosenwald were incredibly well known during their lifetimes,” said Deutsch, “but their stories faded as new voices rose in the fight for civil rights and Jewish philanthropy.”
But Deutsch and her book are keeping the story alive. She will be the featured speaker on Feb. 22 in the next edition of Mirowitz’s ongoing “Fighting Bigotry & Hatred” series. The online event is free, but registration is required
What you will learn
Despite the challenging historical backdrop, this little-known story from American history shines with positivity and empowerment.
Tzedakah is not just about charitable contributions, but about justice and righteousness. Julius Rosenwald’s legacy is one that came to define this in the first half of the 20th century.
“When asked why Rosenfeld committed to such transformative philanthropy, I find the answer in his Jewish upbringing, rooted in the concept of tzedakah,” said Deutsch. “For Rosenwald, generosity wasn’t just an option but a moral imperative. What truly sets him apart is not just his financial contributions but his personal investment in the cause. He didn’t merely write checks; he visited schools, immersing himself in the reality of the communities he sought to uplift. His unwavering dedication, demonstrated through his hands-on approach, is something I greatly admire.”
The early commitments to Black education
While today’s headlines also include efforts to curb or change Black history taught in schools, this story of Booker T. Washington focuses on his commitment to education.
“It’s a story from which Black Americans can take pride because their forebears were so committed and so focused on providing education. And of course, we all need to be reminded and need to know our history,” said Deutsch. “This is a story of empowerment and the power of education. And that’s something I think we all believe in, but we need to be reminded how important it is for our children to be educated.”
How the Rosenwald Schools built communities
There’s an old saying, “making a way out of no way.” That is the real story of the Rosenwald schools.
“The families of students would organize community workdays where they would clean the schools and do repairs,” said Deutsch. “There was no sitting around saying, ‘You do this for me.’ It was ‘we want this and we will make it happen. And for the generation of black women who became teachers in the 20s and 30s and 40s, they were like missionaries. For them, it wasn’t a job. It was a calling.”
What: “Fighting Bigotry & Hatred: You Need a Schoolhouse”
When: Thursday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.
More Info: This online session is free. Registration is required.
This event, co-sponsored by ADL Heartland, American Jewish Committee, Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis, St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, and The Campaign to Create the Julius Rosenwald & Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park, promises to illuminate the enduring legacy of Rosenwald and Washington’s vision to wield education as a catalyst for social change and empowerment.
