North Bay Black Roots :: Exploring African American history in California’s North Bay Area


The Dream Realized Black school children in the North Bay Area These early photos of black children are evidence of the early presence of African Americans in the North Bay Area's school system. As early as the late 1850s, African American children were educated in separate schools established in Vallejo, Napa, Petaluma and Santa Rosa. In the early 1860s black children were educated in a one room class in a hotel at the foot of Maine Street in Vallejo. In future posts North Bay Black Roots will explore the fight that was waged to get African American children educated in the North Bay

African American boy (thought to be A. Wayne Amerson) and girl attended Farragut Grammar School in 1909. The school was then located at the foot of Tennessee Street in Vallejo. An unidentified African American boy stands with his 1905 class at Lincoln School. Band members, including Marie Brown (center) outside Washington Jurnior High School, which was right off Ohio Street, in Vallejo. Washington Park is now the site where the school once stood.	In 1869 Joseph S. Hatton placed this advertisement in The ELevator newspaper seeking a teacher for African American children in Napa. This unidentified African American boy on the far left beams proudly in this 1909 photo at Lincoln School. Charles Fann, top row, is pictured in this late 1800s photo thought to be in Fairfield. Charles was the great-nephew of Adam Willis who was set free from slavery in a Benicia courtroom in 1855.

The Dream Realized Black school children in the North Bay Area