Historic marker unveiled for Antioch Rosenwald School in Mathews County

SUSAN, Va. — A piece of Black history in Mathews County is being preserved and recognized with a new state historical marker.

A dedication ceremony was held Sunday, Oct. 18, at Antioch Baptist Church in the community of Susan to recognize the history of the Antioch Rosenwald School, which provided an education to Black children during segregation in Virginia.

The school served students in first through seventh grades and played an important role in the community for decades before closing in 1948.

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources approved the historical marker to educate the public about the school's significance and the efforts of local Black residents who helped make education possible for generations of children.

The school's history dates back to around 1869, when Black men in the Susan community built a log schoolhouse at the urging of Black women who recognized the need for educational opportunities for their children.

During its early years, Antioch Baptist Church also held services inside the school building.

Decades later, between 1926 and 1927, a new school building was constructed approximately 1,000 feet from the original site.

Much of the funding came directly from the local Black community, which raised $3,700 toward construction. Mathews County contributed another $500, while the Julius Rosenwald Fund provided $700.

The Rosenwald Fund was established in 1917 by Julius Rosenwald, then president of Sears, Roebuck and Co., and was inspired by the educational work of Booker T. Washington.

The program helped finance the construction of approximately 5,000 schools for Black students in rural communities throughout the segregated South.

Three of those schools were built in Mathews County.

Beyond providing classroom instruction, Antioch Rosenwald School became an important gathering place for the community, hosting social and cultural activities and bringing residents together during a time when segregation limited opportunities for Black families.

The school operated until 1948.

Today, the building remains the only Rosenwald-style school structure in Mathews County, making it an important reminder of the community's educational history.

Sunday's dedication ceremony at Antioch Baptist Church included remarks from several local and state representatives.

Scheduled speakers included the Rev. Sean Cummings, pastor of Antioch Baptist Church; the Rev. Dr. MarQuita Carmichael, a former pastor; Edith Turner, president of the Mathews County branch of the NAACP; Joanna McKnight, an architectural historian with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources; and Janice Burgess, chairperson of the Antioch School Committee.

The ceremony also included the unveiling of the new historical marker, followed by a reception at the church.

Antioch Baptist Church sponsored the marker, paid for its manufacturing costs and organized the dedication.

The Virginia Board of Historic Resources approved the marker in September 2025.

The marker tells the story of how the Susan community came together to build and support the school, highlighting the contributions of Black residents who helped create educational opportunities despite the barriers of segregation.

The dedication is part of Virginia's historical highway marker program, which began in 1927 with the installation of the state's first markers along U.S. Route 1.

The program is considered the oldest of its kind in the country, with more than 2,700 historical markers across Virginia.

According to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the markers are intended to educate the public about people, places and events that have played significant roles in local, state and national history.

The new marker ensures the story of Antioch Rosenwald School and the community that helped build it will remain visible to future generations.

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