Presentation: The Legacy of Rosenwald Schools with Andrew Feiler
Programs
November 9, 2024 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Discover the legacy and transformative impact of the Rosenwald Schools.
Join the Bullock Museum for a special presentation by award-winning photographer and author Andrew Feiler and an insightful discussion on the book and exhibition A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, & the 4,978 Schools that Changed America.
In 1912, Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald launched an extraordinary partnership, which led to the creation of thousands of schools across the segregated South. From 1912 to 1937, the Rosenwald School program built 4,978 schools across 15 states.
Feiler drove more than 25,000 miles, photographed 105 schools, and interviewed dozens of former students, teachers, preservationists, and community leaders for the book. Learn more about the evolution of this project and the legacy of Rosenwald Schools.
Seating begins at 12:45 p.m. for the 1:00 p.m. talk. All seats are available on a first-come, first served basis. Show your program registration to receive $15 discounted parking. Andrew Feiler will be available to sign copies of the book, which can be purchased on-site, after the presentation from 2:30–3 p.m.
This program is FREE to the public. Educators, to receive CPE credit, email Education@thestoryoftexas.com.
Andrew Feiler is a photographer and author and fifth generation Georgian. Having grown up Jewish in Savannah, he has been shaped by the rich complexities of the American South. Feiler has long been active in civic life. He has helped create more than a dozen community initiatives, serves on multiple not-for-profit boards, and is an active advisor to numerous elected officials and political candidates. His art is an extension of his civic values.
Feiler’s newest book of photography, A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America, was published in 2021 by the University of Georgia Press. This work is the first comprehensive photodocumentary of the program created by Tuskegee Institute principal Booker T. Washington and Sears, Roebuck & Company president Julius Rosenwald. From 1912 to 1937, this collaboration built 4,978 schools for African American children across 15 southern and border states and transformed America. The book is now in its third printing.
Feiler was named “Book Photographer of the Year” and awarded a Gold Medal for Documentary Book by Prix de la Photographie Paris in 2022 for A Better Life for Their Children. The book also won First Place for Documentary Book at the International Photography Awards in 2022. It has been honored with a BarTur Photography Award, an Eric Hoffer Book Award, and a Book, Jacket, and Journal Award from the Association of University Presses. Photolucida named Feiler’s Rosenwald school images a 2020 Top 50 portfolio and Photoville selected them for the 2020 edition of The Fence, an outdoor exhibition displayed internationally in 11 cities. The solo exhibition of this work is now on tour.
Feiler earned a BS in economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He earned an MSt in modern history from Oxford University and an MBA from Stanford University.
Public programs at the Bullock Museum explore relevant history and celebrate the culture that has shaped our modern world. Through engaging discussions, live performances, and experiential activities visitors are invited to see local connections and discover how Texas fits into a broader national story.
Your Support Matters
Every donation directly supports our ability to provide our communities with outstanding opportunities that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. Support our future with a tax-deductible donation.
Enjoy discounts, exclusive programs, free access to exhibitions year-round, and much more by becoming a member of the Bullock Museum.
The Bullock Museum, a division of the Texas State Preservation Board, is funded by Museum members, donors, and patrons, the Texas State History Museum Foundation, and the State of Texas.
A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America. Photographs and Stories by Andrew Feiler.
