Historic Hockessin Colored School #107 being preserved, transformed into diversity center

HOCKESSIN, Delaware (WPVI) -- A tremendous piece of history sits on Millcreek Road in New Castle County, Delaware.

Hockessin Colored School #107 was built in 1920 and played a monumental role in the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated schools nationwide.

On Wednesday, architectural graduate students from Temple University visited the school, which is being preserved but also transformed into a center for diversity, inclusion and social equity.

To understand the historical significance, they met with people who lived that history.

"They're going to interview some of the former students who went to the school between 1937 and 1959, and try and capture their history into the design of the future for the school," said Professor David Wilk, an Assistant Professor and Director of the Real Estate Program at Temple University.

The students heard firsthand stories of life during a time of segregation, how the school was part of the movement to change that, and together they came up with ideas on making the new center a place to reflect on the past and grow in the future.

They're now working on a final design and hope to break ground within the next 60 days.