Schools

Schools and Segregation in Springfield

Springfield’s first free public school opened on September 9, 1867. But, this school was only for white students. The black students went to school at the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church on Water and Benton Avenue.

In 1872 Washington Avenue Colored School opened. That school was on the Northwest corner of Washington Street and Central Street. Then, Lincoln High School opened in 1884.

Schools for blacks and whites were supposed to be separate but equal. But, Lincoln High School was not equal to Central High School. Central High School is where white children went to school. At Lincoln High School, teachers were paid less and the students had used textbooks.

In 1891 Douglas Elementary School opened for black students. This school was on Main and Market just West of the Square. It was named after Frederick Douglass.

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On May 21, 1931 the New Lincoln School opened. This school was on the Southwest corner of Sherman Avenue and Central Street. Black people could not go in the Springfield Library so they had to use the library at the New Lincoln School. The school was very important to the community. Clubs like the boy scouts and girl scouts used the school. New Lincoln School was used for black students until desegregation in 1954. Desegregation made it legal for students of any color to go to school together. After desegregation schools in Springfield admitted people of all colors.

Author: Lacey Childress

Source: Springfield History Museum’s exhibit “We Remember Lincoln: The Story of African-American Education in Springfield”

Images are courtesy of The History Museum for Springfield-Greene County. (They are for use in conjunction with the SMSU Campus Compact/WorldCom grant project. You must request permission from the History Museum for Springfield-Greene County to print, copy, or download this image for any other use.)
Portrait of Frederick Douglass, Library of Congress