Bell School (Washington D.C.)

Early school for African American children

Bell School, established in 1807, was the first school for African Americans in Washington, DC.[1][2][3] It was located near Providence Hospital. The school was founded by three formerly enslaved men: George Bell, Nicholas Franklin, and Moses Liverpool.

## Founding

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George Bell, Nicholas Franklin, and Moses Liverpool worked as caulkers at the Washington Navy Yard. The three men, who were formerly enslaved, co-founded and built a one-story school house.[4] Their school, the Bell School, was located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.[4][5] The original Bell School closed after few years due to a lack of funding. The school is considered to be Washington D.C.'s first school for African Americans.[4]

Bell co-founded the Resolute Beneficial Society, a society that supported health, education, and burial needs of Washington D.C.'s Black community.[4][6] The society successfully re-opened the Bell School in 1818.[4]

## References

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1. ^ Preston, Emmett D. (1943). "The Development of Negro Education in the District of Columbia, 1800-1860". The Journal of Negro Education. 12 (2): 189–198\. doi:10.2307/2292971. ISSN 0022-2984.
2. ^ "Bell School Site, African American Heritage Trail".
3. ^ "The Early Years". www.mwphgldc.com. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
4. ^ a b c d e Jacobs, Sylvia M. (1996). Encyclopedia of African-American Education. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-28931-6.
5. ^ "Bell School Site, African American Heritage Trail - www.culturaltourism.org". www.culturaltourismdc.org. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
6. ^ "Masonic History, The Early Years". www.mwphgldc.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.