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The African American Empowerment Fund of Delaware (AAEFD) and two former Delaware judges today launched a campaign to raise approximately $210,000 by March 31 to save the historic Hockessin Colored School #107.
The Friends of Hockessin Colored School #107 Charitable Fund was established today at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) under the direction of Bill Allen, DCF board member; Josh Martin, former state superior court judge and president of Verizon Delaware; and Leonard Williams, a retired municipal judge who practiced law with civil rights legend Louis L. Redding.
The Hockessin Community Center, which owns the school building, owes Petrucon Construction $207,000 for construction work. Through the new fund, Martin, Williams and Allen hope to raise at least $110,000 in contributions from the public to save the historic school from going to sheriff’s sale. Martin and Williams have been providing HCC with pro bono counsel.
“Since Judge Williams and I have been involved in the project, our primary focus has been to save the school,” Martin said. “The school has become a tribute to the work and legacy of the families who sacrificed so much to challenge the system, as well as a tribute to the work of the great Louis Redding and Justice Marshall, unqualified champions of quality education for all children. We cannot let this effort fail.”
In a related move, the board of the AAEFD agreed this weekend to provide a 12-month loan to the Hockessin Community Center, the site of the landmark school. The award is not to exceed $100,000 and is contingent upon the Hockessin Community Center’s ability to raise the remaining funds. The AAEFD is a group of Delawareans from all backgrounds committed to promoting philanthropy to fund causes important to the education, social and economic empowerment of African-American Delawareans.
“This was an extraordinary act for the AAEFD and is not how we would typically get involved,” said Dr. Tony Allen, chairman of the AAEFD and founding president of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League.
“But the board and I believe that remaining silent on this project with the prospect of an imminent sheriff’s sale would have been a decision of significant moral hazard to the history of equity in education in Delaware and across our country.”
The Hockessin Colored School, built in 1920 to serve black children who were not allowed to attend school with white children, played a pivotal role in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education. The related case at Hockessin School 107C, Gebhart v. Belton (1952), was one of five similar cases appealed to the high court. It was the only case in which the lower court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, effectively causing Delaware to set the precedent for the Supreme Court’s final ruling in Brown.
The African American Empowerment Fund of Delaware (AAEFD) and two former Delaware judges today launched a campaign to raise approximately $210,000 by March 31 to save the historic Hockessin Colored School #107.
The Friends of Hockessin Colored School #107 Charitable Fund was established today at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF) under the direction of Bill Allen, DCF board member; Josh Martin, former state superior court judge and president of Verizon Delaware; and Leonard Williams, a retired municipal judge who practiced law with civil rights legend Louis L. Redding.
The Hockessin Community Center, which owns the school building, owes Petrucon Construction $207,000 for construction work. Through the new fund, Martin, Williams and Allen hope to raise at least $110,000 in contributions from the public to save the historic school from going to sheriff’s sale. Martin and Williams have been providing HCC with pro bono counsel.
“Since Judge Williams and I have been involved in the project, our primary focus has been to save the school,” Martin said. “The school has become a tribute to the work and legacy of the families who sacrificed so much to challenge the system, as well as a tribute to the work of the great Louis Redding and Justice Marshall, unqualified champions of quality education for all children. We cannot let this effort fail.”
In a related move, the board of the AAEFD agreed this weekend to provide a 12-month loan to the Hockessin Community Center, the site of the landmark school. The award is not to exceed $100,000 and is contingent upon the Hockessin Community Center’s ability to raise the remaining funds. The AAEFD is a group of Delawareans from all backgrounds committed to promoting philanthropy to fund causes important to the education, social and economic empowerment of African-American Delawareans.
“This was an extraordinary act for the AAEFD and is not how we would typically get involved,” said Dr. Tony Allen, chairman of the AAEFD and founding president of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League.
“But the board and I believe that remaining silent on this project with the prospect of an imminent sheriff’s sale would have been a decision of significant moral hazard to the history of equity in education in Delaware and across our country.”
The Hockessin Colored School, built in 1920 to serve black children who were not allowed to attend school with white children, played a pivotal role in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown vs. Board of Education. The related case at Hockessin School 107C, Gebhart v. Belton (1952), was one of five similar cases appealed to the high court. It was the only case in which the lower court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, effectively causing Delaware to set the precedent for the Supreme Court’s final ruling in Brown.
The building was originally slated to be auctioned on Tuesday, Jan. 10, but Martin negotiated with Petrucon owners for more time. If the Hockessin Community Center is unable to pay the debt by the end of March, the building will be sold at auction.
“We need the public to step up — and step up today — to save this important landmark,” said DCF Board Member Bill Allen. “We have a brief window of opportunity here to preserve part of the history of African Americans in Delaware. We are calling on all Delawareans to give generously and give now.”
Members of the public can donate to the fund online at www.delcf.org or send checks payable to Delaware Community Foundation, 100 W. 10th Street, Suite 115, PO Box 1636, Wilmington, DE 19899. Please note Colored School #107 Fund in the memo line.
