Abiel Smith School

Opened in 1835, the Abiel Smith School served as a segregated public school for African American students in Boston.

In 1787, Black Bostonians, including Prince Hall, petitioned the state legislature advocating for greater access to the public school system. In 1798, Black parents organized the African School to educate their children though some Black students did attend the public schools. The African School first met in the home of Primus Hall. It moved into the first floor room of the African Meeting House in 1808. At this date, African American children enrolled in Boston public schools moved to the African School. In 1812, the Boston School Committee officially recognized the African School and started providing partial funding at $200 annually. However, the condition of the school remained poor and the Boston School Commission received many complaints from the community about deteriorating conditions and overcrowding. A study undertaken by the Commission confirmed these critiques.

Boston, Mailing Address: 15 State Street Boston African American National Historical Site, and MA 02109 Phone: 617 742-5415 Contact Us. “Abiel Smith School - Boston African American National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service).” Accessed December 18, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/boaf/learn/historyculture/abiel-smith-school.htm.