Reopening of the Historic Williamsburg Bray School – Dedication: November 1 at 2 pm – Open to Public
Reopening of the Historic Williamsburg Bray School – Dedication: November 1 at 2 pm – Open to Public
- The dedication ceremony on Friday, Nov. 1, will be held from 2-3:15 p.m. on the lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
- Event speakers will include Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution; Justice John Charles Thomas, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia and its first Black justice; and Virginia State Senator Mamie Locke.
- It will be followed by a reception, community art projects, entertainment, and a series of panel discussions and interpretive programs in the Hennage Auditorium, free and open to the public. Please note, seating is limited in the Hennage Auditorium.
The oldest-known building where enslaved and free Black children were formally educated, the Williamsburg Bray School, is soon reopening at Colonial Williamsburg. Through its history, visitors will gain insight into the school’s significant influence on early America and its lasting impact on education and society.
On November 1, Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary will commemorate the restored Williamsburg Bray School with a dedication ceremony, marking 250 years since its closure. This school, active from 1760 to 1774, educated up to 400 children aged 3 to 10. This event is the first in a series of 250th-anniversary events celebrating our nation’s origins.
Identified in 2020 by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and William & Mary, the school was moved to Colonial Williamsburg in 2023 for restoration to its original 18th-century look, using a mix of modern and historical techniques. The school’s faith-based curriculum, which promoted acceptance of slavery, presents a complicated legacy, as evidence shows some students later used their education to resist oppressive systems.
“The fact that the building that housed the Williamsburg Bray School still exists is remarkable,” said Colonial Williamsburg President and CEO Cliff Fleet. “The most meaningful aspect of this project is that we are able to use it to share the stories of the students who attended.”
During the ceremony, descendants will read the names of former students. Attendees will have a rare opportunity to tour the building, viewing both restored and work-in-progress rooms. After the ceremony, the building will close to complete the restoration, with a full reopening planned for Spring 2025.
Janice Canaday, African American Community Engagement Manager at Colonial Williamsburg, shared, “We have so much more we can tell the world about their experiences and how they helped shape a Williamsburg community that was more than 50 percent Black at the time.”
The dedication event is open to the public from 2-3:15 p.m. on the lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. It will include speakers like Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, former Virginia Supreme Court Justice John Charles Thomas, and Virginia State Senator Mamie Locke, emphasizing unity and the school’s lasting impact on generations.
William & Mary’s Bray School Lab is amplifying these narratives by gathering oral histories and genealogies, ensuring descendants’ stories are accessible to all. “Through our partnership, we’re transforming our community, the Commonwealth, and our nation,” said Ann Marie Stock, Presidential Liaison for Strategic Cultural Partnerships at William & Mary.
This December, Colonial Williamsburg will release The Williamsburg Bray School: A History Through Records, Reflections, and Rediscovery, edited by Maureen Elgersman Lee and Nicole Brown. The book reflects on the school’s legacy and the complex history of race, religion, and education in early America.
The Williamsburg Bray School becomes the 89th restored structure in Colonial Williamsburg and the first new addition to the Historic Area since the 1940s. Nearby, the African Baptist Meeting House and Burial Ground, site of Williamsburg’s first Black church, will also be reconstructed. Together, these projects allow Colonial Williamsburg to present a fuller picture of Williamsburg’s diverse and intricate history.
At the Williamsburg Bray School site starting Nov. 2, outdoor interpretation will focus on the intersection of race, religion and community. Stories about the children who attended the school and their teacher, Ann Wager, will come to life.
Along with the Campbell Archaeology Center and the reconstructed Custis Square gardens, both set to open in 2026, and the recently expanded Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg — will create a new Nassau Street corridor that reimagines the Historic Area.
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