Dorchester Academy

— Museum Of African American History —

J. Roosevelt Jenkins, who was DorchesterAcademy's assistant principal, scienceteacher and athletic director, replacedElizabeth Moore as principal after her deathin 1932. He continued to strengthen theschool's curriculum and the thrivingathletic programs. During his administration,Dorchester Academy was in its academicprime. In 1934 the entire graduating classwas admitted to college. Jenkins made sure the school kept its Georgia accreditation.In doing so, Dorchester Academy earnedthe coveted "A rating" from the SouthernAssociation of Colleges and SecondarySchools. In 1934, the school was classifiedas a Group I Georgia accredited high school.This meant it was one of " the best schoolsin teaching staff, equipment or laboratory,library and buildings, and three fourths ofthe academic teachers holding degrees."The boys' dormitory, which burned downin 1932, was rebuilt and formally dedicated as the Elizabeth B. Moore Hall

During this time, public school opportunitieswere growing for African Americans in LibertyCounty. The Board of Education had, untilthen, neglected to adequately fund AfricanAmerican public education. With the creationand growth of the Liberty County Training(LCTS) in the 1930s, accredited, public, adequately funded, county administeredAfrican American high school education wasnow available. Because of this the AmericanMissionary Association (AMA) closedDorchester Academy in the spring of 1940because they did not want to duplicate thework of the local public schools. All of the1940 twelfth grade students voted to receivetheir diplomas from Dorchester Academyand the remaining students were distributedamong the other African American publicschools in the county.

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Boys' Dormitory
Elizabeth B. Moore Hall
photograph taken 2004
Most of Dorchester Academy's old buildingswere torn down by the AMA in 1945 becauseof their poor condition. They decided itwould be cost effective to remodel the newbrick boys dormitory. The AMA contributed$10 for every $1 raised in Liberty County,up to $20,000. Locals organized the Dorchester Cooperative Building Fund Drive and raised $2,000 to save ElizabethMoore Hall.

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Show me all markers in:  Midway, GA  |  Liberty County  |  31320  |  Georgia  |  United States of America

Liberty County Citizen's Council 1946 - 1953
Working Together at the Dorchester Cooperative Center 1930s-1940s
S.C.L.C. and the Voter Education Program 1962-1970
Elizabeth Moore at Dorchester Academy 1925-1932
The Growth Of Dorchester Academy 1874 - 1930s
Civil Liberties at Dorchester Cooperative Center 1940 - present
Dorchester Academy
Dorchester Academy Boy's Dormitory
The Story of the "Bell" at Dorchester Academy
Midway Congregational Church 1872 - Present

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