Richard Allen School to become cultural center
The Richard Allen School is a staple in Georgetown’s black history. It’s been preserved by a state senate bill and will now become a cultural learning center and museum.
Eunice Richardson, now 94-years-old and a former student at the school says, “I was glad I had a school to go to because you know segregation was back then. We as black people had to go to our own schools and didn’t have that many in the state.”
As Richardson noted, the institution was one of the very few places African Americans could receive an education in Delaware.
Following desegregation, it was turned over to the Indian River School district and then to the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware.
A group called the Richard Allen Coalition had been working towards obtaining the building to turn it into a cultural center. With the signing of Senate Bill 133 Wednesday, they were able to get it. Supporters of the legislation tell 47 ABC they couldn’t be prouder.
Representative Ruth Briggs-King with the 37th district says, “It’s very important that we keep that history so that we can learn where we’ve been and how we’re moving forward.”
State Senator Brian Pettyjohn says, “To let kids know there is history here and that there is a big part of their cultural history here on these ground is great. To impart that on to them for future generations is really exciting.”
No word on exactly when the center and museum will be open to the public. However, members of the coalition say they plan to get to work on it right away.
