Seeking stories of historic Nassau School near Lewes
Oral histories project hopes to chronicle stories of former students, staff, communities
Did you or a family member work at or attend the Nassau School 198-C in the historic Black community of Belltown near Lewes before desegregation efforts in the American education system began? If so, researchers at the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) are compiling local accounts of this important part of Delaware’s history.
“Today, that building is right in the middle of a busy intersection, but at one time that school would have been at the heart of the community,” said HCA’s Engagement & Collections Manager Meg Hutchins, who is overseeing a recently launched oral history project aimed at documenting those stories.
“We want to connect with people that went there, who are interested in talking to us and sharing those stories with us and other Delawareans,” Hutchins said. “We want to make sure that history is not lost to time.”
HCA researchers hope to conduct interviews with any remaining alumni and staff, descendants or family members of alumni or staff, or community members who have stories about the school, also known as Belltown School, and are willing to have their accounts recorded and documented.
Participants — the oral history narrators — will meet with project researcher Brayden Moore in person or over Zoom to discuss project goals, parameters, paperwork and other questions, before scheduling a meeting to record an interview. Interviews may be in person or over Zoom and will be recorded for preservation in the state collection and use in programming and public education about the history of the Nassau or Belltown School.
“This project aims to record and preserve the history of the Nassau School as well as that of the historic Black community of Belltown,” said Moore. “We are also hoping to find objects or make copies of documents — such as photos, report cards or school programs — related to the school, in order to help tell its history.”
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The school is one of dozens of schools built across the state in the 1920s-1930s, but today the Nassau School (built in 1922) is the only one owned by HCA. The division’s efforts are only one piece of a larger preservation effort underway by different organizations, led by alumni and their descendants, aiming to preserve the history of these schools and the communities they served.
To learn more about the Nassau School oral history project or to share information, contact HCA Inclusive History Researcher Brayden Moore at brayden.moore@delaware.gov or Engagement & Collections Manager Meg Hutchins at megan.hutchins@delaware.gov or by calling 302-608-5330.