Defending Our History: Saving the Nassau School
The Nassau school, built in 1922 near the current-day Five Points intersection outside Lewes, is a unique part of Sussex County history. It must be saved and preserved.
It was one of the 33 Black schools built in Sussex County with funding from philanthropist millionaire Pierre S. du Pont.
During the time of segregation, students attended first through eighth grade at the school until 1965.
The school was purchased by the Delaware Department of Transportation as part of the lands of the Best family and Bests’ Ace Hardware to make way for the new access road from southbound Route 1 to the roundabout at Plantation Road and Beaver Dam Road.
A long-awaited renovation project had been proposed and agreed upon. It was a collaboration among Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, which now owns the school, the Greater Lewes Foundation, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice and Nassau School Coalition.
On July 25, 2024, the Nassau School Coalition held an open house at the Lewes Senior Center. The Coalition is dedicated to restoring and preserving the Nassau School for Colored Children in Belltown. SDARJ founded the Coalition, whose other members include the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the Lewes Historical Society, the Lewes Historical Foundation, and the Richard Allen Coalition. The public was invited to learn about the history of the Nassau School, to see the plans for the renovation of the school, and to learn about SDARJ’s role as the primary tenant. WRDE attended and its feature was broadcast on Monday, July 29, 2024.
Unfortunately, the project has been stalled with little or no activity taking place recently towards the renovation of the school.
We call on all citizens of Sussex County to support the renovation and preservation of the school and join us.
