Hopewell Rosenwald School History
The Hopewell Rosenwald School stands on land once owned by
former slaves Martin and Sophia McDonald. Martin McDonald was born in 1848 in
Tennessee to enslaved parents, Henry and Mariah. In 1850, at the age of two,
Martin and his family were sold to John Moncure, who relocated them by wagon
train to Bastrop, Texas. The journey took months and was fraught with
challenges, including bad weather, illness, and wagon breakdowns. Once in
Bastrop County, the McDonalds were assigned living quarters and work on the Moncure
property.
The Hopewell Rosenwald School was established in 1922
through a partnership between the African American community, public funds, a
grant from the Rosenwald Fund, and a 1.5-acre land donation from Martin and
Sophia McDonald. The school served Black children in Cedar Creek, Bastrop
County, providing a critical education until the late 1950s, when the Brown v.
Board of Education ruling ended segregation in public schools.
After its closure, the building fell into disrepair. In
2015, the Hopewell Rosenwald School Project secured a $50,000 grant from
Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to restore the school. Now under restoration,
the project aims to transform the building into a community center, preserving
its legacy and the community’s dedication to education.
Hopewell Rosenwald School Restoration
Charmane H. Sellers, President and CEO of ALEON Properties,
Inc., a 100% veteran and woman-owned construction company, is proudly
contributing to the preservation of American history in Bastrop County. In
partnership with American YouthWorks and the Hopewell Rosenwald School
Committee, ALEON is leading the restoration of the historic Hopewell Rosenwald
School in Cedar Creek, Texas, which was established around 1920. This vital
project aims to preserve the school’s rich history while connecting its
significance to the local community.
As General Contractor, ALEON is managing the construction
services for this monumental restoration. The project has been in development
since 2015, with the groundbreaking taking place in 2016. Charmane and her
team, including the late Bobby Sellers, have been dedicated to ensuring the
project’s success, with completion projected for November 2019.
The collaboration between ALEON, American YouthWorks, and
the Hopewell Rosenwald Committee is committed to preserving the history of
African-American education, especially in Texas. The Hopewell Rosenwald School
is one of over 500 Rosenwald schools built in Texas during the early 20th
century to provide quality education to African-American children. This
restoration is not just a tribute to the past but also a legacy for future
generations to witness the perseverance and achievements of African-Americans
in education.
Parc Smith, CEO of American YouthWorks, emphasizes the
importance of this project, noting that it provides students with valuable
construction skills while preserving an important piece of history. Charmane
shares this optimism, hoping the restored school will inspire future
generations, particularly women, to pursue careers in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM) and carry forward the legacies of schools like
Hopewell.
