SouthState Bank Donates $5,000 to Refurbish St. George Rosenwald School

Edith Oldham is secretary of the St. George Rosenwald School Board. A former student of the facility, she has written a book about its history, and she and her board colleagues are working to convert the 96-year old school into a museum and cultural center.


ST. GEORGE, S.C. – February 22, 2021 – SouthState Bank today announced a donation of $5,000 to the restoration efforts of the historic Rosenwald School in St. George, South Carolina.

“We are proud to contribute to the restoration of this incredible historic landmark, which will help educate people about racial integration and the Rosenwald school system that provided thousands of African-American students with an education over the first 50 years of the 20th century,” said Gene McConnell, Lowcountry Region president for South State Bank. “The communities that SouthState serves throughout the Southeast are rich in history, and we are pleased to help preserve this important landmark in our community.”

The St. George Rosenwald School was constructed in 1925 as one of more than 5,000 Rosenwald schools for African-American students built throughout the Southeast from 1917 to 1936. The program was established by renowned educator, Booker T. Washington, and Sears & Roebuck president, Julius Rosenwald. The St. George Rosenwald School was one of the largest of the 500 that were constructed in South Carolina and is one of 36 in the state that still stand.

“We appreciate the generosity of donors like SouthState,” said Ralph James, chairman of the St. George Rosenwald School Board. “This refurbished historic landmark will serve as a place where folks can come to understand the education and culture that was cultivated in the Rosenwald school system. We hope that this facility will be a local economic catalyst that helps us celebrate the history of St. George.”

The facility is currently being converted into a museum and will also serve as a venue for cultural programs, social functions and more.
 
SouthState Corporation (NASDAQ: SSB) is a financial services company headquartered in Winter Haven, Florida. South State Bank, N.A., the company’s nationally chartered bank subsidiary, provides consumer, commercial, mortgage and wealth management solutions to more than one million customers throughout Florida, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. The bank also serves clients coast to coast through its correspondent banking division. Additional information is available at SouthStateBank.com.

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