Abstract
This paper presents an historical study of the creation of the first publicly funded "colored school" in Marysville, California, in 1857, focusing on the community's efforts to open the school. The colored school was part of a dynamic Black community full of economic and social vitality, yet was in a time period in which Blacks still could not attend public school with White children. This study documented the individuals and community groups--both Black and White--who participated in the establishment of this colored school, as well as to document the specific efforts and events involved in getting this school funded and opened. This study uncovered the names and backgrounds of people involved, the communities' churches, businesses, interactions between the Black community and the City Council and Board of Education of Marysville, and the chronology and contents of meetings held to further the development of the schools. It details the chronology of the opening of the school, and documents the individual backgrounds of the African Americans who worked to get the school funded and opened. The study provides insights into a time within a fairly integrated community with bustling social and economic possibilities for the Black community, although still not providing for equal rights for all citizens. (Contains 33 footnotes.)