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Save Siloam School Project To Receive $160K From Charlotte And Mecklenburg County

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The Siloam School is the last remaining schoolhouse in Mecklenburg County built for Black students during segregation.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission

The Charlotte Museum of History is set to receive $160,000 from the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County as part of an ongoing fundraiser to save the Siloam School.

The Save Siloam School project is a fundraiser led by the Charlotte Museum of History. It aims to relocate the Siloam School to the museum and show a glimpse into the lives of Black Americans in the 20th century. The goal of the project is to raise $1 million. So far, it has raised $660,000.

The Charlotte Museum of History hasn't opened its doors to the general public since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. That's changing soon, but first, the museum will let guests inside during the final day of the African American Heritage Festival to see a new exhibit on the Siloam School.

The county is donating $150,000 that will be distributed over the next 10 years. This donation serves as an arts and culture investment to reduce racial disparities. The city is donating $10,000 for architectural services needed to relocate the structure.

The Siloam School was built in 1920 to serve Black students in the rural Mallard Creek area and is one of the oldest remaining schoolhouse for Black Americans in Mecklenburg County. It’s also one of the last standing Rosenwald school in the city. Rosenwald schools were built specifically for Black students in the rural South during segregation.

For more information on the Save Siloam School Project, visit charlottemuseum.org/Siloam.

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Gracyn Doctor is a Report for America corps member who covers race and equity for WFAE.