Storer College
When John Brown came to Harpers Ferry in 1859, organizing a school for enslaved African Americans was illegal. Eight years later, after a bloody Civil War, Storer College did just that—and more. To honor the 150th anniversary of the school’s founding, Harpers Ferry Park Association, in partnership with Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, invited park rangers, professors, journalists, and scholars to tell the stories of the teachers, students, and reformers who strove to manifest a new world on the “hill of hope.” This collection reveals tales of courage and conviction, success and defeat, controversy and, above all, hope. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 176 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.3". Weighs 10.5 oz.
In the first book-length study of Storer College, Dawne Raines Burke tells the story of the historically black institution from its Reconstruction origins to its demise in 1955. Established by Northern Baptists in the abolitionist flashpoint of Harpers Ferry, Storer was the first college open to African Americans in West Virginia, and it played a central role in regional and national history. In addition to educating generations of students of all races, genders, and creeds, Storer served as the second meeting place (and the first on U.S. soil) for the Niagara Movement, a precursor to the National Association for the Adavancement of Colored People. An American Phoenix provides a comprehensive and extensively illustrated history of this historically black college, bringing to life not just the institution but many of the individuals who taught or were educated there. It fills a significant gap in our knowledge of African American history and the struggle for rights in West Virginia and the wider world. Publisher: Storer College Books. Hardcover, 151 pages. Measures 11.25" x 0.5" x 9.25". Weighs 35.9 oz.
From the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, African Americans in the Washington, D.C. area sought leisure destinations where they could relax without the burden of racial oppression. Local picnic parks such as Eureka and Madre's were accessible by streetcars. Black-owned steamboats ferried passengers seeking sun and sand to places like Collingwood Beach, and African American families settled into quiet beach-side communities along the Western Shore of Maryland. Author and public historian Patsy M. Fletcher reveals the history behind Washington's forgotten era of African American leisure.Train-related excursions chapters including Storer College, Harpers Ferry and Island Park. Author: Patsy Mose Fletcher. Publisher: The History Press. Paperback, 177 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.4". Weighs 14.3 oz.
A Storer alumnus, Professor Saunders was the longest serving black teacher at the school. A resident of Harpers Ferry for 54 years, he was a trusted spiritual leader and well-known figure throughout the thriving African American community then living beyond Storer’s campus. Author: Lynn Pechuekonis. Publisher: Harpers Ferry Park Association. Paperback, 143 pages. Measures 6" x 9" x 0.25". Weighs 9.8 oz.
12 pages, pamphlet. Commemorative program of Storer College's 150th Anniversary in 2017. Contains a brief history of Storer College, the event's itinerary, an event map, and more. Pamphlet, 12 pages. Measures 8.5" x 11"x0.1". Weighs 2.3 oz.
16 oz American-made mug hand thrown by artisan potters from Sunset Hill Stoneware in Wisconsin. Mulberry blush glaze featuring Storer College commemorative artwork. Measures 5"x4"x5" . Weighs 1lb 5.4oz.
Pin of Storer College pennant, designed from school patch with original text, ca 1900. Pin measures 1" x 0.8".
Lapel pin of the Storer College seal, reproduced from original artwork by Louise Wood Brackett. Pin measures 1.125" x 1.125". Weighs 0.4 oz.
Gray T-Shirt with yellow text. Text reads "Storer College Est. 1867." 100% Cotton.
Maroon T-Shirt with yellow text. Text reads "Storer College Est. 1867." 100% Cotton.