The Lincoln School Project will host a three-day Juneteenth and centennial celebration weekend from June 19 through June 21 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the historic Lincoln School while honoring African American history in the Ozarks.
Originally constructed in 1926, Lincoln School served as a one-room, segregation-era school for African American children in rural Missouri. Through the leadership of founders Crockett and Tonya Oaks, the building was restored into a cultural and educational center before its official addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 2025.
The centennial weekend begins June 19, with a full day of Juneteenth activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the historic school grounds, 1400 E. Pony Thomas St. in West Plains. The opening day features local food vendors for Food Truck Friday, live music, a classic car show display and indoor historical presentations scheduled for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The presentations will highlight the history of the school, the surrounding African American neighborhood once known as “The Hill,” and the structural restoration process. Limited outdoor seating is available, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.
Festivities move downtown June 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Music By the Murals, featuring live performances and music from DJ T-Nyce to encourage patronage of local businesses. Saturday evening features the Gala in the Garden, a ticketed event on the school grounds from 5 to 10 p.m. The elegant gathering includes a catered meal, special presentations, dancing and a live R&B performance by The Jeremiah Allen Band. Tickets cost $75 per person or $600 for a table of eight, and advanced purchase is required for the event, which features a "Garden Gala Glitz with hats to match" dress code.
The celebration concludes June 21 with an 8 a.m. memorial service at the historic Sadie Brown Cemetery to honor the lives and legacy of regional African American figures. Attendees are again asked to bring lawn chairs for limited seating.
A highlight of the weekend will be the attendance of three surviving Lincoln School alumni, providing a living connection to the facility's legacy.
“This celebration is about more than a building,” said Crockett W. Oaks III, founder and executive director of the Lincoln School Project. “It is about honoring the people who walked these halls, the teachers who sacrificed for their students, and the community that refused to let this history disappear. We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate 100 years of Lincoln School and the possibilities that emerge when preservation is used to unite and inspire.”
For additional information or to purchase gala tickets, residents can email organizers at LincolnSchool65775@gmail.com or call Oaks at 281-706-3420.
