About Rosenwald Revamped
Our History
Rosenwald Revamped was born November 5, 2022. That was the day that we in the neighborhood learned that our beloved Rosenwald-Felts school could possibly be sold.
Sylvia Richardson was contacted by many people in the neighborhood and around the city who had a best interest in the school and what was happening. Richardson called together people to go before the Galax City Council to inquire about the school’s future.
The group went before the Galax City Council to ask what could be done to save the legacy, heritage, and history of the building for the neighborhood and the City of Galax. The group did everything required to make the building a historic landmark belonging to the African-American community to which it was born.
Our Mission
Preserving African American history while turning lives around with open doors.
What is a Rosenwald School?
A Rosenwald School was one of nearly 5,000 schools built for Black children in the segregated rural South between 1912 and 1932, funded by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (Sears Roebuck president) in partnership with educator Booker T. Washington, providing crucial education where public schools were inadequate. These schools offered a tangible statement of Black equality and aspiration, significantly improving Black literacy and opportunity across 15 states.
After much hard work, dedication, and support – success!
We now are a nonprofit organization with articles of incorporation, certification, and a tax-exempt status. Additionally, we were successful in being listed in the Historic Register of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. We will continue to strive to make this building represent education, community service center and a museum of culture. Rosenwald Revamped will continue to strive to make all of our goals complete working towards becoming a historical landmark, and a beacon in our community!
This building is the heartbeat and the center of the African-American community and we want to breathe the life back into our legacy. We are striving every day to try and make this building what it was originally supposed to be. Rosenwald Revamped believes that this building, and its history are the life blood of our community and we will continue to make this happen. We will continue to strive to make this building, and the grounds our own, and make our city and its citizens proud to be a part of our endeavors.
Rosenwald Revamped, intends to save this building and its history for all of the citizens and generations to come. Every African-American child that was born in this neighborhood went to this school, and it is our life blood and our heritage that we want to save.