Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory
Historic school in Midway, Georgia. Built 1935 by George Awsumb. Added to the National Register in 1986, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Dorchester Academy was a school for African-Americans located just outside Midway, Georgia. Operating from 1869 to 1940, its campus, of which only the 1935 Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory survives, was the primary site of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Citizen Education Program. This program, ran here from 1961 to 1970, worked toward attaining equality for blacks in the American South by teaching them their rights and helping them acquire the knowledge necessary to become registered voters by passing the required test. The dormitory building was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2006 for its later role in the American civil rights movement, and for its association with activist Septima Poinsette Clark, who oversaw the education program. The campus, which includes several later buildings, is now a museum and research center.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 8787 East Oglethorpe Highway (US 84), Midway vicinity, GA |
| County | Liberty County |
| Listed | Jun 23, 1986 |
| Listed for | Black heritage, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 86001371 |
| Built | 1935 · more from the 1930s |
| Architect | George Awsumb |
| Type of place | school, museum, African-American museum |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, America's Most Endangered Historic Places |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 8787 East Oglethorpe Highway (US 84), Midway, GA |
| Website | dorchesteracademyia.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 31.8008° N, 81.4653° W · Directions ↗ |
| Nearest national park unit | Fort Pulaski National Monument · 35 miles · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Liberty County
Local history books for Liberty County
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Georgia travel guides
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory listed on the National Register?
Jun 23, 1986. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory built?
1935, designed by George Awsumb.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory?
Yes. Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory?
8787 East Oglethorpe Highway (US 84), Midway vicinity, Liberty County, Georgia. The nearest national park unit is Fort Pulaski National Monument, 35 miles away.
Source: Fort Pulaski National Monument
Where is the nomination form for Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Dorchester Academy Boys' Dormitory?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 86001371. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.