“Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary’s partnership to research, restore and interpret the original structure of the Bray School is critical to our ongoing work to uncover our common past and expand our understanding of America’s founding. We invite guests, the community and the nation to join us as we continue to pursue and present a more complete story of all who lived in Williamsburg during the Revolutionary era.”
—President and CEO Cliff Fleet
Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary have identified the structure of the 18th-century Bray School, which is likely the oldest existing building in the United States dedicated to the education of enslaved and free Black children. This joint venture has established the Williamsburg Bray School Initiative, which will relocate the Bray-Digges House from William & Mary’s campus to Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area at the intersection of Francis and Nassau streets, where it will become the 89th original structure restored by the Foundation. Generous donor support is making this move possible and we are seeking additional funding to complete the project.
Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary are working together to ensure current and future generations learn about the building’s complex history with the new site as a focal point for research, scholarship and dialogue regarding the complicated story of race, religion and education in Williamsburg and in America. A major component of their partnership includes the creation of the William & Mary Bray School Lab that will document the school’s history to fully understand its complex legacy.
Make a gift today to support the research, restoration and interpretation of the Bray-Digges House. Your donation will allow Colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary to more fully understand and disseminate this critical part of Americans’ shared history.