Story provided by City of Stillwater

After serving Stillwater’s Black community for generations, Booker T. Washington School passed into private ownership and sat vacant for many years. Recently, an anonymous donor worked with the City of Stillwater in order for the historic structure to be purchased through the City and returned to public use.

Many Stillwater residents can breathe a sigh of relief that Washington School is no longer in danger of being demolished for redevelopment.

The Stillwater City Council and administration honor Black History Month and want to emphasize the importance of Black history every month, not only in February.

“While it’s fitting to discuss the value of preserving this segregation-era, separate school that was so vital for Stillwater’s Black community, we must remember that Black history is everyone’s history,” Mayor Will Joyce said. “It’s an important part of our entire community’s history all year.”

The Washington School project is a way to honor history and the people who lived it while uniting the Stillwater community behind this effort that most hope will increase understanding, build bridges and culturally enrich all of Stillwater.

View the Washington School project video: https://youtu.be/Kng4zZ14Ku8