Robert Smalls School

Front: Robert Smalls School was built in 1953 as a segregated school for African American students. Construction was funded as part of South Carolina’s school equalization program. While both white and black schools were funded by this program, the purpose was to equalize African American educational facilities and conform with the doctrine of “separate but equal” in order to avoid racial integration. Reverse: Designed by the firm of Hopkins, Baker & Gill of Florence, S.C., the school’s Colonial Revival aesthetic was heavily influenced by Cheraw, Incorporated, a group of local leaders who worked to ensure that new construction in the area was consistent with Cheraw’s historic character. The architecture of the building sets it apart from other equalization schools, which were usually built in a mid-century modern style.