Leighton Training School, a Rosenwald Gem, Stands Tall

One of the few remaining brick Rosenwald schools in Alabama, Leighton Training School served as a vital hub for the African American community for decades.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Out of 400 Rosenwald schools constructed across Alabama, only a handful are left standing, including the Leighton Training School (LTS) in Leighton, Alabama. Built in 1929 through community fundraising efforts matched by Julius Rosenwald, LTS was a critical educational and community center for African Americans during segregation. Despite challenges like outdated textbooks and equipment, the school instilled a deep sense of pride and legacy in its students, many of whom went on to become teachers and leaders themselves.

Why it matters

The survival of LTS represents the enduring legacy of the Rosenwald school movement, which aimed to provide quality education for African American children during the Jim Crow era. As one of the few remaining brick Rosenwald schools in Alabama, LTS stands as a symbol of the community's determination to educate and uplift themselves despite systemic inequalities. Its revitalization as a community center will help preserve an important piece of Alabama's history and the African American experience.

The details

Leighton Training School was built in 1929 through a partnership between the local African American community, who raised funds to purchase the land, and the Rosenwald Fund, which matched those contributions. The school served as an educational and social hub, hosting not just classes but also community events, music, and youth programs. Despite facing challenges like outdated equipment and materials hand-me-downs from white schools, the teachers and students at LTS took immense pride in their school, with many alumni like Bessie Eloise Nicholson and Walter J. Davis going on to become educators themselves.

  • LTS was built in 1929 as a Rosenwald school.
  • The school operated for decades, educating generations of African American students in Leighton.

The players

Leighton Training School

A Rosenwald school built in 1929 in Leighton, Alabama, one of the few remaining brick Rosenwald schools in the state.

Bessie Eloise Nicholson

An alumna of Leighton Training School who went on to become a teacher, eventually returning to work at the school before moving to New York.

Walter J. Davis

An alumnus of Leighton Training School who became a teacher and then principal at the school before transitioning to Colbert County High School during desegregation.

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What they’re saying

“It meant everything to us.”

— Walter J. Davis

“A lot of our parents, grandparents, they were very proud of that school. It helped them to grow. It helps them to be able to be educated and raise their families; many of them have gone on to greatness.”

— Renita Jimmar-Hall

“I was loved. I'm happy. Then they sent us to this wonderful school up there: LTS. That they worked hard for and knew that they worked for it. They were appreciative and wanted us to get everything that they wanted us to get out of that school. I'm proud I was a part of LTS before it deteriorated.”

— Bessie Eloise Nicholson

What’s next

Leighton town leaders are working to revitalize Leighton Training School as a community center, salvaging the historic building and building upon its legacy.

The takeaway

The survival of Leighton Training School, one of the few remaining brick Rosenwald schools in Alabama, represents the enduring spirit and determination of the African American community to provide quality education and uplift themselves despite systemic inequalities. Its revitalization as a community hub will help preserve an important piece of Alabama's history and the African American experience.