St. Benedict the Moor School
Encyclopedia
St. Benedict the Moor School, located at 86 Martin Luther King Avenue in the Linconville National Historic District
of St. Augustine, Florida was an all black Catholic school built in 1898. The money for construction of the school ($7,500) was donated by Katherine Drexel (1858–1955), a nun of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, an order founded “to serve Indians and Colored People.” Drexel a member of the wealthy Philadelphia, Pennsylavania banking family was the niece of Anthony J. Drexel founder of Drexel University
. Katherine Drexel was made a Catholic saint by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
The school named in honor of St. Benedict the Moor
was constructed of brick and was one of the first schools for black students in Florida. The students were instructed by nuns of a local convent, the Sisters of St. Joseph . There were between 90-100 students enrolled per school year at the school which was opened between 1898 and 1968. The school is located on a parcel of land which includes the school on the southern end of the property, the parish house in the center and the church of St. Benedict the Moor at the north end.
The school was closed partly as a result of school desegregation legislation which arose in the wake of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
. The events which occurred in St. Augustine, of which Martin Luther King Jr. played a key rule, were an important catalyst in the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
Years prior to the Civil Rights Era, in 1916, three white Catholic nuns were arrested for violating a 1913 Florida prohibiting white teachers for instructing blacks. The three were acquitted on the grounds that the law did not apply to private schools.
St. Benedict the Moor School which sits in the Lincolnville National Historic District
was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1991. Despite this designation the building sits exposed to the elements with no roof or windows. The roof was removed during 2006 as part of a restoration project which has been stalled for an alleged lack of funding.
Lincolnville Historic District
The Lincolnville Historic District covering the southwest peninsula of the "nation's oldest city," is a U.S. Historic District located in St. Augustine, Florida. The district is bounded by Cedar, Riberia, Cerro and Washington Streets and DeSoto Place...
of St. Augustine, Florida was an all black Catholic school built in 1898. The money for construction of the school ($7,500) was donated by Katherine Drexel (1858–1955), a nun of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, an order founded “to serve Indians and Colored People.” Drexel a member of the wealthy Philadelphia, Pennsylavania banking family was the niece of Anthony J. Drexel founder of Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
. Katherine Drexel was made a Catholic saint by Pope John Paul II in 2000.
The school named in honor of St. Benedict the Moor
Benedict the Moor
Saint Benedict was an Italian saint who is venerated in the Catholic Church and Lutheran Church.-Life:He was born to Christopher and Diana Manasseri, Africans who were taken to San Fratello , a small town near Messina, Sicily, as slaves and later were converted to Christianity...
was constructed of brick and was one of the first schools for black students in Florida. The students were instructed by nuns of a local convent, the Sisters of St. Joseph . There were between 90-100 students enrolled per school year at the school which was opened between 1898 and 1968. The school is located on a parcel of land which includes the school on the southern end of the property, the parish house in the center and the church of St. Benedict the Moor at the north end.
The school was closed partly as a result of school desegregation legislation which arose in the wake of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
. The events which occurred in St. Augustine, of which Martin Luther King Jr. played a key rule, were an important catalyst in the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
Years prior to the Civil Rights Era, in 1916, three white Catholic nuns were arrested for violating a 1913 Florida prohibiting white teachers for instructing blacks. The three were acquitted on the grounds that the law did not apply to private schools.
St. Benedict the Moor School which sits in the Lincolnville National Historic District
Lincolnville Historic District
The Lincolnville Historic District covering the southwest peninsula of the "nation's oldest city," is a U.S. Historic District located in St. Augustine, Florida. The district is bounded by Cedar, Riberia, Cerro and Washington Streets and DeSoto Place...
was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1991. Despite this designation the building sits exposed to the elements with no roof or windows. The roof was removed during 2006 as part of a restoration project which has been stalled for an alleged lack of funding.