Pine Forge Academy Celebrates 80 Years of Black Education

The historic Adventist boarding school near Pottstown, PA continues its mission of providing high-quality Christian education for Black students.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Founded in 1946 to offer Black students a quality education free from racism and discrimination, Pine Forge Academy is celebrating its 80th anniversary. The school, established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, sits on land once owned by abolitionist iron master Thomas Rutter and served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Today, Pine Forge Academy serves around 130 students in grades 9-12 from across the U.S. and around the world, providing them a nurturing environment to develop a strong sense of identity and values.

Why it matters

Pine Forge Academy was founded during a time of widespread racial discrimination, especially in the South, to give Black students access to a high-quality Christian education. The school has played a vital role in educating and empowering generations of Black students, many of whom have gone on to successful careers. As the school celebrates its 80th anniversary, it continues to uphold its founding mission of helping students stay true to their identity while navigating the world around them.

The details

Pine Forge Academy was established with funding from Dr. Grace Kimbrough, a wealthy Black physician in Philadelphia, and leaders of the Allegheny Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The school, initially called Pine Forge Institute, was located on the former Rutter estate, which had been a stop on the Underground Railroad. Today, the school's campus features subtle nods to Black history and culture, including a mural depicting key figures in the fight for equality.

  • Pine Forge Academy was founded in 1946.
  • The school is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2026.

The players

Pine Forge Academy

A historic Adventist boarding school near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, founded in 1946 to provide Black students with a high-quality Christian education free from racism and discrimination.

Adrienne Rhodes

The current headmaster and principal of Pine Forge Academy, and an alumna from the early 1990s.

Thomas Rutter

A British immigrant, Quaker, and pioneering Pennsylvania iron master who was an early abolitionist and outspoken opponent of slavery. His manor, which still stands on the Pine Forge Academy property, was later used by his descendants in the 19th century as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Dr. Grace Kimbrough

A wealthy Black physician in Philadelphia who helped establish Ebenezer SDA Church on "Black Doctors Row" and provided funding to help the Allegheny Conference of Seventh-day Adventists purchase the Rutter estate to establish Pine Forge Academy.

Richard Pinder

The father of reporter Leland Pinder, who attended Pine Forge Academy as a freshman in 1968 from Savannah, Georgia, just months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and graduated in 1972.

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What they’re saying

“We were founded on the idea that students need to come out of the city and be able to learn about themselves from people who look just like them.”

— Adrienne Rhodes, Headmaster and Principal, Pine Forge Academy (6abc.com)

“I love, love teaching Black students. And in teaching them, they see what our world looks like, not just through my eyes but through the eyes of ancestors, understanding whose shoulders they stand on.”

— Adrienne Rhodes, Headmaster and Principal, Pine Forge Academy (6abc.com)

“Being there in that environment with people who looked like me, that was major.”

— Richard Pinder, Pine Forge Academy Alumnus (6abc.com)

“I got to Pine Forge at 14-years-old during the summer to work and try to earn some money to cover tuition. I think that part of my PFA experience probably has informed almost everything else about my life.”

— Richard Pinder, Pine Forge Academy Alumnus (6abc.com)

What’s next

As Pine Forge Academy prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026, the school remains committed to its founding mission of providing high-quality Christian education for Black students in a nurturing environment that helps them develop a strong sense of identity and values.

The takeaway

Pine Forge Academy's enduring legacy as a beacon of Black education and empowerment serves as an inspiring example of how a mission-driven institution can thrive and make a lasting impact, even in the face of historical challenges and societal barriers.