The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., has unveiled “Rosenwald Revisited: Wisdom from the Elders”. Underwritten by the Ford Motor Company Fund, the exhibit showcases the photography of Ann Smithwick, and chronicles the history of two Memphis-area schools as part of the Rosenwald School Initiative.

“Rosenwald Revisited” offers a lens for viewing the transformation of Black education in the South during the early 20th century,” says Pamela Alexander, director of community development and fund operations for the Ford Motor Company Fund. “Ford is committed to showcasing exceptional work of the legends that made a significant contribution to uplift the African-American community.”

In 1912, Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish immigrant and CEO of Sears, Roebuck & Co., collaborated with educator Booker T. Washington to form an ambitious program to elevate black education across the South. In accord with Washington’s vision, Rosenwald donated millions of dollars to improve the public school system by building modern schoolhouses for African-American children. The historic visual display commemorates their unlikely partnership and the schoolhouse-building program that eventually created thousands of Rosenwald schools in 16 southern states.

The exhibit is on view at the National Civil Rights Museum through March 15.