US EditionArchaeologists unearth foundation of 1760s schoolhouse for Black children
- Archaeologists at William & Mary announced in 2025 they unearthed an 18th-century foundation of the Williamsburg Bray School in Williamsburg, Virginia.
- The discovery follows earlier dendrochronological identification of the structure in 2020 and coincides with a Gates Hall renovation project.
- The nearly intact foundation includes a cellar approximately 36 by 18 feet, layered with artifacts like slate pencil fragments, jewelry, and a glass shard depicting Minerva.
- The Bray School operated between 1760 and 1765, teaching hundreds of mostly enslaved Black children and later served as a dormitory housing early generations of women college students.
- This find provides layered historical insights from colonial education of Black children to early 20th-century campus life, with artifacts being studied further for their social and cultural significance.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Archaeologists unearth foundation of 1760s schoolhouse for Black children
Archaeologists in Virginia have unearthed the foundation of a building from the 1700s that once supported the nation's oldest surviving schoolhouse for Black children, William & Mary announced Wednesday. The university in Williamsburg said the foundation is nearly completely intact. Archaeologists also uncovered a cellar that is layered with centuries of artifacts, including slate pencil fragments and jewelry.The schoolhouse was later used as a …
Archaeologists Unearth Foundation of 1760s Schoolhouse for Black Children
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — Archaeologists in Virginia have unearthed the foundation of a building from the 1700s that once supported the nation's oldest surviving schoolhouse for Black children, William & Mary announced Wednesday.
Almost everywhere in the capital, archaeological traces can be found in the ground. In a new exhibition center, you can experience live how the detective work behind it works. And not only that.
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