Not to be confused with O.H. Bernard School in Hickman County, Tennessee.
Bernard School
LocationBernard Drive,
McMinnville, Tennessee, U.S.
Coordinates35.679251°N 85.765817°W
Other nameBernard High School
Established1922
Closed1966

Bernard School was a Rosenwald school for Black students, active from 1922 until 1966 in McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee. A historical marker commemorates the school's history.[1] It was also known as the Bernard High School.[2]

History

Bernard School was built in 1922 with money from the Rosenwald Fund. It was named for Rosenwald agent for Tennessee O. (Ollie) H. Bernard.[1] The land for the school was donated by local stonemason, Sam Leftwich.[3] It was located on Bernard Drive, on the east side of McMinnville.[4] A library was built in 1927, following a donation from W. H. Hagness.[5]

In 1946, the school burned down.[6] It was rebuilt a year later in 1947.[1] A gymnasium and field house were added in 1954, at a cost of US$40,000.[7]

It closed following school integration in 1965–1966 school year, and the building was used for administrative offices, and later used for Head Start.[8] Demolished in 1982, the site was used for brush disposal.[8][9]

Legacy

The school gymnasium is the only surviving building, and since 2019 it has housed the Young Men United, a youth mentorship program.[3][10] The Bernard School centennial and homecoming was celebrated in 2022.[11]

The Magness Public Library in McMinnville held an exhibit “Building a Bright Future: Black Communities & Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee” (2025) on Rosenwald schools, and included the Bernard School.[12]

The Black History Museum of Warren County has a collection of items from the Bernard School.[1][13]

Alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ Zepp, Louise. "The Black History Museum of Warren County: Preserving the Past two Educate Future Generations". The Tennessee Conservationist. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  2. ^ "African-American High Schools Now Long Gone". The Tennessee Magazine. 2020-02-02. Archived 2025-07-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-03-30.
  3. ^ "Gwyn speaks on Black history in Warren County". Southern Standard. February 3, 2023. pp. A8. Retrieved 2026-03-30. – via Newspapers.com
  4. ^ "Soul of Warren County Bernard School, The Building" (video). February 21, 2023. – via YouTube
  5. ^ "School Gets Library". The Chicago Defender. June 4, 1927. p. 23. Retrieved 2026-03-29. – via Newspapers.com
  6. ^ "M'Minnville Fire Destroys School". Chattanooga Daily Times. 1946-08-18. p. 7. Retrieved 2026-03-29. – via Newspapers.com
  7. ^ "McMinnville". The Chicago Defender. 1954-01-30. p. 16. Retrieved 2026-03-29. – via Newspapers.com
  8. ^ "Master Plan: The Cultural Center at Bernard School". City of McMinnville, Tennessee. June 13, 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
  9. ^ "The Story of the Bernard Community Center". Bernard Community Center. 23 January 2025.
  10. ^ Hobbs, Lisa (October 2, 2019). "Young Men United Secures Bernard School Lease For $1". Southern Standard. pp. A5. Retrieved 2026-03-30. – via Newspapers.com
  11. ^ Hobbs, Lisa (2022-04-24). "Bernard School's Centennial Celebration set for May 27-29". Southern Standard. pp. B7. Retrieved 2026-03-29. – via Newspapers.com
  12. ^ "Bernard School Rosenwald History Exhibit". Humanities Tennessee (Tennessee Humanities Council). February 1, 2025.
  13. ^ Havenner, Nathan (March 25, 2026). "Black History Museum working to educate, preserve history". Manchester TImes. Retrieved 2026-03-30.