Higginsville, Missouri— Douglass School Project has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) to support Phase 3 of the rehabilitation of this historic building.

The project, titled Douglass School Restoration and Museum, will make improvements to the front of the building, including replacing deteriorated soffit materials. Through the overall rehabilitation effort, Douglass School Project intends to establish a museum and learning center to preserve African American history in Lafayette County, as well as a day care center in the lower level of the building, providing a critical need in the Higginsville area.

“My dream is to see the Douglass School restored so that people never forget our history or the lessons it teaches about treating one another with dignity and respect. I hope this building becomes a place where future generations can learn, remember, and come together.” (Travis Benton, former Douglass student and President Douglass School Project) Freedom’s Frontier is a congressionally designated national heritage area that spans eastern Kansas and western Missouri, working with partners to preserve and share the stories of the region’s role in shaping the nation’s history. FFNHA provides grant funding to support projects promoting heritage tourism, historic preservation, and public interpretation.

This phase of the project is expected to be completed by June of 2027.

Douglass School Project is a nonprofit whose mission is to rehabilitate this building that served the African American population of Higginsville and surrounding areas until 1955. It is one of only two such buildings (originally 20) still standing in the county.

Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) builds awareness of struggles for freedom in western Missouri and eastern Kansas. Established by Congress in 2006, FFNHA covers a unique physical and cultural landscape across 41 counties and 31,000 square miles. It promotes three diverse, interwoven, and nationally significant stories: frontier settlement, the Missouri-Kansas Border War and Civil War, and enduring civil rights disputes. FFNHA inspires respect for multiple perspectives and empowers area residents to preserve and share these stories, achieving its goals through interpretation, preservation, conservation, and education for all residents and visitors. It is one of 62 federally recognized national heritage areas across the United States.

For more information, visit freedomsfrontier.org.