Building a Bright Future Exhibit

The Wilson County Mayor’s Office is pleased to announce that we will present a temporary exhibit in observance of Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March). The exhibit “Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee” is a community-focused exhibition that highlights the work of alumni, descendants, and organizations to preserve the legacies of Rosenwald Schools across the state. The display will be showcased in the courthouse’s upstairs lobby during February 18, 2025 – March 27, 2025 and will be FREE to the public.

In the early 20th century, a historic collaboration led to the building of nearly 5,000 public schools in the Southeastern United States to improve education opportunities for African American students. These schools became known as Rosenwald Schools, and they drove dramatic improvement in Black educational attainment and educated the generation who became leaders of the Civil Rights movement.

“Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee” is a community-focused exhibition that highlights the work of alumni, descendants, and organizations to preserve the legacies of Rosenwald Schools across the state. The visitor is lead through the development of Rosenwald Schools and their legacies by first tracing the history of education for Black Tennesseans beginning with the Reconstruction period. It explores early partnerships between churches, schools and agencies like the Freedmen’s Bureau, and the work of Black leaders, residents, parents, and teachers to improve educational opportunities for Black students. Featured exhibit topics include Black Education before 1912, Black Tennesseans and Rosenwald Schools (1912-1960s), and the Legacies of Rosenwald School Communities. More information about the display can be found here.

One former school presented in the exhibition is the Wilson County Training School. The Wilson County Civic League helped provide information for the exhibition by sharing stories about the former school. The exhibit highlights a school ledger of the first year the Wilson County Training School opened.

The display will be FREE to the public. Anyone is welcome to stop by on weekdays during regular business hours to view the exhibit. The courthouse is located at: 228 East Main St, Lebanon. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm. “Building a Bright Future” is presented in partnership with Fisk University’s John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library, as well as the Tennessee State Museum. The Wilson County Mayor’s Office would like to especially thank the staff of the Tennessee State Museum for helping to make this available to Wilson County.