Meeting the Moment at Elizabeth City State University

Abstract: In this essay, the author reflects on overseeing the rehabilitation of two historic buildings, one a Rosenwald school, on the campus of Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). Founded as a normal school in 1891, ECSU is a historically Black university located in rural and predominantly Black northeastern North Carolina. The completed project will include exhibit space interpreting the regional history of the African American quest for freedom through education. The challenges experienced and overcome during the eight-year project, especially following the 2024 election and subsequent cuts to federal funding from agencies like the National Park Service and the Institute of Museum and Library Services parallel the challenges the university experienced during its formative years. Understanding this institutional history and the strategies its supporters employed to ensure its survival provide perspective on how both the rehabilitation project and the university can withstand the current political moment.