In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jim Crow laws and practices prevented many Black Americans in the South from receiving an education, voting in elections, and enjoying the same freedoms granted to other citizens.

In a collaborative effort to foster these communities and give Black children opportunities for better lives, eminent Black educator and author Booker T. Washington partnered with Jewish businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald to build thousands of schools and hire teachers. The Rosenwald schools became cornerstones of their rural Southern and Southwestern towns, with some also serving as community centers and assembly halls.

At the opening reception for "A Better Life for Their Children," exhibition curator Andrew Feiler will share more about the students who attended these schools, what remains of the schools today, and the lasting impact of this endeavor.