Abiel Smith School

Abiel Smith School
Abiel Smith School, 2007
Location
United States
Information
Website	http://www.nps.gov/boaf/historyculture/abiel-smith-school.htm

Abiel Smith School, founded in 1835, is a school located at 46 Joy Street in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, adjacent to the African Meeting House. It is named for Abiel Smith, a white philanthropist who left money (an estimated $4,000) in his will to the city of Boston for the education of black children.

The city constructed the school building with Smith’s legacy. Designed by Richard Upjohn as his first public project, this was the first public school for free blacks. In 1835, all black children in Boston were assigned to the Smith school, which replaced a basement school in the African Meeting House next door. It is a National Historic Landmark and a site on the Boston Black Heritage Trail and is part of the Museum of African American History. It is part of the Boston African American National Historic Site.

African-American parents organized a school for their children in 1798; it was first held in the home of Primus Hall. After the African Meeting House was constructed, the school was moved there to a first-floor classroom.

The African-American community worked to gain support from the city for their school as a public school, and the city started to contribute some funds in 1812. Abiel Smith, a white philanthropist, left money (an estimated $4,000) in his will to the city of Boston for the education of black children. The city used part of his legacy to construct the school building, commissioning Richard Upjohn as architect, in his first public project. He later became well known for his church projects.