About

The Rosenwald Project at Fisk University

The Rosenwald Project at Fisk University is an ambitious digital initiative aimed at preserving and providing access to the Julius Rosenwald Fund Collection, a cornerstone of the Fisk University Franklin Library archives. The Julius Rosenwald Fund Collection consists of 585 archival storage boxes and an estimated 674,000 items, including photographs, documents, school fund cards, correspondence, and more.

This project seeks to digitize, organize, and make accessible this extensive collection of historical materials related to the Rosenwald Fund—a philanthropic effort led by Julius Rosenwald, a businessman and social justice advocate, to improve education and social equity in the early 20th century.

The Julius Rosenwald Collections Portal

The Julius Rosenwald Collections Portal is an online platform designed to provide comprehensive access to the Fund's materials. This portal aligns with contemporary archival and digital standards, ensuring usability, sustainability, and replicability by other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The initiative emphasizes fostering collaboration with other HBCUs and ensuring the portal is a model for how limited-resourced institutions can develop robust digital projects. It is also a community-focused platform, offering tools for scholarly research, public education, and ongoing engagement with the legacy of Rosenwald's philanthropic efforts.

Six Relational Databases

The portal will feature six interconnected databases to reflect the archival organization of the collection:

  • Rosenwald Family Database: Includes the Rosenwald Family correspondence as well as a biography, and a few images of Julius Rosenwald.
  • School Fund Database: Details financial contributions, applications, photos of and school cards for Rosenwald Schools.
  • Fellowship Fund Database: Focuses on scholarships and academic funding provided by the Fund.
  • Other Funds Database: Covers broader philanthropic efforts like healthcare and social services.
  • Administrative Materials Database: Includes internal documentation of Fund activities.
  • Studies and Publications Database: Highlights research and reports produced by or about the Fund.