# Emerson Institute

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{{Short description|School for African American students in Mobile, Alabama, US}}
{{About|the school in Mobile, Alabama|the school in Washington, DC|Emerson Preparatory School}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

'''Emerson Institute''' was a school for [African American](/source/African_American) students in [Mobile, Alabama](/source/Mobile%2C_Alabama). It was established after the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) in 1865 by the [Freedmen's Bureau](/source/Freedmen's_Bureau). It was operated by the [American Missionary Association](/source/American_Missionary_Association) (A.M.A.) and opened in 1866.

==History==

Originally located in the "Blue College" on Government Street, in 1877 it was relocated to 266 Scott Street after a fire.

In 1927 it became a [Mobile County](/source/Mobile_County) public school.  According to the historical marker commemorating its history, "Many of its students had careers of local and national distinction." After [desegregation](/source/Desegregation_in_the_United_States), the school closed in 1970 and the buildings demolished as part of an [urban renewal](/source/urban_renewal) program in Mobile. A historical marker commemorates the school's site on Scott Street.<ref name=mark>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=111289|title=Emerson Institute Historical Marker|website=www.hmdb.org}}</ref>

[Tulane University](/source/Tulane_University) has a photo of a visitor from the A.M.A. with the school's faculty.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:1330|title=Emerson Institute, Mobile, Alabama Faculty 1922-'23 &#124; Tulane University Digital Library|website=digitallibrary.tulane.edu}}</ref> Another photo shows people from the school outside with a dog.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:2284|title=Emerson Institute, Mobile, Ala , teachers and students &#124; Tulane University Digital Library|website=digitallibrary.tulane.edu}}</ref> A 1909 commencement program is extant and available online.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/voices/id/13233/|title=Q125167 - Q125175|website=digital.archives.alabama.gov}}</ref> A 1909-10 school catalogue also survives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.umbrasearch.org/catalog/8ac3d97976dfd4d002c8017630aef672c5a27037|title=Catalog of the Emerson Normal and Industrial Institute in Mobile, Alabama.|website=Umbra Search African American History}}</ref> An "illustrated essay" from the school's principal A. T. Burnell with photos and descriptions of the school and its history also survives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.umbrasearch.org/catalog/80f7ad29fd931b290d5795353bca9eabf43ddc30|title="Emerson Normal Institute" by Dr. A. T. Burnell.|website=Umbra Search African American History}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Defunct schools in Alabama
Category:Defunct black public schools in the United States that closed when schools were integrated
Category:Schools in Mobile, Alabama

{{Alabama-school-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Emerson Institute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerson_Institute) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerson_Institute?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.