Then & Now: Hockessin Colored School #107
“Then & Now: Black History Highlights of Delaware” is a collaboration between Carlton Hall, a historian-architectural historian with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ State Historic Preservation Office, and Desiree May, the Division’s social media lead, to highlight Black-owned businesses, figures and trades of our history while shining a light on Black-owned businesses, figures and trades of today. We know the importance of learning from our past and how our history impacts our now and the future, so let’s dive in!
THEN: The Hockessin Colored School #107
The Hockessin Colored School #107 was built as a one-room schoolhouse in 1920. The school was for African American children who could only attend Black schools due to racial segregation (1896-1954) that existed during that time. Funding for the construction of the school was provided primarily by Delaware philanthropist Pierre S. du Pont. The school played a role in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated schools nationwide. The school closed in 1959 and later was converted into a community center.
Now: The Center for Diversity, Inclusion & Social Equity
The Friends of Hockessin Colored School and its board members have worked together to launch the new Center for Diversity, Inclusion & Social Equity at the site of the former school. The building will be used in the future for educational events and school tours.
To learn more about Delaware’s DuPont “Colored” Schools, explore a research project examining dozens of DuPont schools across the state by visiting history.delaware.gov/locating-delawares-dupont-colored-schools.