WILLIAMSBURG — Members of Williamsburg’s descendant community gathered this week to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Bray School’s closure and the death of its headmistress.
Believed to be the oldest extant building dedicated to the education of Black children in the United States, Williamsburg’s Bray School was one of several in the colonies established by the Associates of Dr. Bray, an 18th century English philanthropist. The school was intended to give Black children a “Christian education” — which included reading and possibly writing, but also encouraged them to accept slavery as part of God’s plan.
As headmistress and the school’s only teacher, Ann Wager taught both free and enslaved Black children using the tenets of Anglican Christianity, joining the school after the death of her husband in 1748. The Bray School was open from 1760 until Wager died Aug. 20, 1774.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the William & Mary Bray School Lab worked in collaboration to host three events throughout Tuesday. Community members were invited to place a commemorative flower on the fence bordering the new Bray School location on the corner of Francis Street.
A retired William & Mary professor and local historian discovered the school hiding in plain sight on William & Mary’s campus around 2002. Last year, the building was moved to the intersection of West Francis and South Nassau streets in Colonial Williamsburg, where it is being renovated to serve as a place for residents and tourists to visit and learn a more complete story about 18th century America.
On Tuesday, yellow and white flowers were labeled with the names of students who attended the school. It is estimated that around 400 students attended the school, yet only 86 names are known. The Bray School Lab is actively searching for additional student rosters and descendant families in order to connect individuals with their ancestors.
“This is a really significant point as we look forward to the completion of the restoration and the opening in the fall,” said Maureen Elgersman Lee, director of the Bray School Lab. “This is not just about the building. The building is a gateway to a much, much bigger history. That’s what we’re celebrating — it’s about the students and the legacies and stories of resistance and resilience.”
The community was also invited to view a pop-up exhibition at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg featuring artifacts from the original Bray School site located on the corner of Prince George and North Boundary streets before attending a performance of “Good Progress,” a two-person performance exploring positions for and against a Bray School education.
In the performance, Wager is portrayed by Bray School Lab graduate assistant Nicole Brown while Elizabeth DeRosario, a free Black woman, is portrayed by interpreter Hope Wright. Brown and Wright wrote “Good Progress” in 2019 and have been performing it for visitors ever since.
A panel discussion followed the performance featuring Wright, Brown, Colonial Williamsburg African American Community Engagement Manager Janice Canaday, her son Devin Canaday, Valarie Gray Holmes and Kimberley Hundley. Holmes is a former interpreter for Historic Jamestowne, while Hundley currently serves on the Williamsburg-James City County School Board and is a retired kindergarten teacher.
Janice Canaday moderated the discussion, asking the panel about their opinions on institutions like the Bray School and the legacy of the descendant community. All panelists acknowledged that Wager was a woman with strong beliefs and a lack of alternative perspectives; however, they agreed that it was important to acknowledge the true intentions of a Bray School education and promote growth in the historical arena when telling stories such as this.
“It’s important for us to know who we are and know whose we are,” Devin Canaday said. “Understanding that being able to put those other pieces of the puzzle that have, for many years, been put asunder, hidden away in plain site, buried intentionally and unintentionally forgotten over the years, it allows you to be able to connect the dots.”
The panelists also spoke about the involvement of institutions such as William & Mary in the Bray School’s history. To Wright, institutional support and resources are a way for them to amplify the voices of descendants and are “due diligence.” She also emphasized that the real legacy of the Bray School was its students. Janice Canaday added to Wright’s statement by asking panelists about how children can participate in peaceful resistance.
“The sky is the limit; you don’t need four walls to learn,” Hundley said. “Your behavior is a reflection on you and the people that brought you up and the people that came before you.”
Devin Canaday emphasized that he always tells children to ask as many questions as possible.
“It shows that you’re inquisitive, that you want to learn more, that there’s some desire inside of you that wants to go beyond where you currently are,” he said.
Since it was moved last year, the Bray School has been wrapped in protective coverings as work has been done to make it a place for visitors. The formal opening is slated for Nov. 1, with an open invitation to the public. Descendant community members and other speakers have also been invited to attend.
The Bray School Lab continues to encourage anyone who thinks they may be descended from a Bray School student or have questions regarding descendant research to contact them at braylab@wm.edu.
Emma Henry, emma.henry@virginiamedia.com
