The Norfolk Mission College (NMC) was located on Princess Anne Road in Norfolk, Virginia and included two buildings for classes, a school dormitory, a church and a home for the school's principal.[1][2] The United Presbyterians founded the school in 1882 when Reverend Matthew Clark discovered a need for African-American schools in Norfolk in 1882.[3] The school started out teaching 467 students in the first year, when classes started in January of 1883.[3] After that, the school taught significantly more students, with there being 1,050 students enrolled in 1884.[3] The first principal was Reverend Clarke who worked for the Freedmen's Mission of the United Presbyterians board.[4] The first class of NMC graduated in May of 1888.[5][6]
The school charged tuition, which was around 50 cents, though waived the fee for students who could not afford to pay.[2][7] NMC educated African-American students and was the first privately funded public school for black students in Norfolk.[2] Curriculum taught at the school included the usual subjects, such as math, science and history and also included Latin and classes on the Bible.[7] The school taught primary level classes, intermediate grades and high school level classes.[3]
When enrollment decreased, the United Presbyterian church sold the school in 1916 or 1917.[1][7] The school was purchased by the school board in Norfolk and the John T. West High School was moved there.[8] Later, the school was known as the Booker T. Washington High School.[7] The building was demolished in 1955 and the Blyden Branch of the Norfolk Public Library is now located on the same spot as the original college.[8] Before the building was demolished, graduates of NMC used to hold an annual reunion at the former college.[9]
