A historic school in west Texas, originally built in 1909 for Mexican and Mexican American students during the era of segregation in education, has been officially designated as a national park. The Blackwell School National Historic Site in Marfa, Texas, was established as the newest national park in the United States by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, making it the seventh national park unit designated by President Joe Biden. Haaland emphasized the significance of the site, noting its importance in reflecting the diverse and complex journey towards equality and justice in the nation.
The designation of the Blackwell School as a national park ensures its permanent protection and aims to narrate the history of Texas school districts that implemented separate elementary schools for Mexican American children. The school, located in Marfa about 45 miles east of the U.S.-Mexico border and 455 miles southwest of Dallas, ceased operations in 1965 with the integration of the Marfa Independent School District.
The site encompasses the original adobe schoolhouse and a classroom constructed in 1927, showcasing photographs, memorabilia, and interpretive panels featuring quotes and stories from former students and teachers. The Blackwell School stands as a poignant testament to the prevalence of racism and cultural disparities in education and social systems during the era of segregation from 1889 to 1965, according to the website dedicated to the site.
This addition to the national park system is part of recent efforts to commemorate historical sites that accentuate important chapters in American history, such as the Amache National Historic Site in Colorado, a former Japanese internment camp, and the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi, honoring the memory of Emmett Till, a Black teenager who was brutally murdered in 1955. Other recent additions include the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in Kansas, which commemorates the groundbreaking 1954 ruling that ended segregation in schools.
