Near Abbeville in Lafayette County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Abbeville Colored School

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 1, 2023

1. Abbeville Colored School Marker

Inscription. The Abbeville Colored School was built in 1950 as part of Mississippi's school equalization program, in which to forestall integration, new schools were built for Black students. Half of the funding for the original, four- classroom building was raised by the local Black community. In 1960, Gordon Elementary School was constructed for grades one through six, while a third building, for grades nine through twelve, was erected in the early 1960s. Following integration. Abbeville's Black students were bused to former all-White schools.

Erected 2022 by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the Mississippi State Historical Marker Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1950.

Location. 34° 28.432′ N, 89° 30.609′ W. Marker is near Abbeville, Mississippi, in Lafayette County. It is on County Road 115 ¼ mile south of State Route 7, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 41 Co Rd 115, Abbeville MS 38601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the North Mississippi Hills. It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Tallahatchie River Defense Line (approx.

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4.6 miles away); College Hill Settlers (approx. 4.9 miles away); Lafayette Agricultural High School (approx. 4.9 miles away); College Church (approx. 4.9 miles away); Lynching in America / The Lynching of Elwood Higginbottom (approx. 6.1 miles away); University Faculty Houses (approx. 6½ miles away); Cedar Oaks (approx. 6.7 miles away); L. Q. C. Lamar House (approx. 7.1 miles away).

Regarding Abbeville Colored School. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 22, 2021.

Also see . . .
1. Elementary Building (later Head Start). Mississippi Historic Resources Inventory Fact Sheet on the elementary building contains numerous photographs. (Mississippi Department of Archives and History) (Submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Junior High School Building. Mississippi Historic Resources Inventory Fact Sheet on the junior high building contains numerous photographs. (Mississippi Department of Archives and History) (Submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 1, 2023

2. Abbeville Colored School Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 830 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 7, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.