The Black Schoolhouse container drop: A pivotal milestone for the Seventh Ward
28th April 2025 · 0 Comments
By Fritz Esker
Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, April 23, local leaders attended a container drop event for the building of The Black Schoolhouse and Community Center on N. Roman St. in the 7th Ward.
The schoolhouse will serve as both a community center and a hub for arts education.
“The Black Schoolhouse is more than a building – it’s a beacon for creativity, community healing, and Black self-determination,” said Shani Peters, managing director and co-founder of The Black School. “This moment reminds us that collective imagination and commitment can bring our boldest visions to life.”
The Black Schoolhouse is inspired by the historic Rosenwald schools founded by Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald. These schools sought to improve the lives of Black community members through education and shared community spaces. Peters said the new center will provide an essential space for art, dialogue and youth empowerment rooted in African diasporic knowledge and design.
Helena Moreno, president of the New Orleans City Council, spoke at the event. She described The Black Schoolhouse as a “powerful force for empowerment and education.
“Anytime we are creating new opportunities…it’s a great day for New Orleans,” Moreno said. “It’s really critical as we build a stronger and more conscious community…It is so critically important right now that we preserve our culture.”
Other local dignitaries at the event included District D Councilmember Eugene Green and Alonzo Knox, the state representative for 93rd district.
Architects developed the plans for the building after a year of community research. Whawn Allen Architects & Construction Consultants served as the architect of record and collaborated with lead designers LOT-EK. The structure will feature recycled metallic copper-painted containers, reclaimed wood shutters and a solar roof.
Sidney Barthelemy’s B Squared Construction will handle construction on the project, which is expected to continue throughout the year and estimated to be completed in the fall of this year.
In conjunction with the container drop event, the Black Schoolhouse and Community Center launched its legacy brick campaign. The campaign is a community-driven fundraiser that allows supporters to purchase an engraved brick on the site. The school’s leaders hope the bricks will serve as a tribute to teachers, activists, artists and revolutionaries of the past and present whose stories and work have shaped the community.
The school’s founders hope their work will be an instrument for widespread community change.
According to Peters, The Black School is a movement to reshape the surrounding world.
“We are building a space of Black love and healing, where our children, our communities and our ancestors’ dreams can thrive,” said Peters. “It is clear that spaces that honor these principles are more essential than ever. It is also clear through historical precedents that, through community, we have answers, we have plans, and we have each other. It’s about making this vision a reality, and now, with the containers in place, we are closer than ever.”
More information about The Black School and the Black Schoolhouse and Community Center can be found on the organization’s website at https://theblack.school.
This article originally published in the April 28, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
