The Douglass School Project in Higginsville, has announced that it has received a grant from the National Park Service. This grant, totaling $209,800, comes from the African American Civil Rights (AACR) grant program. A portion of the funds will be used for a historic structure survey to plan the next steps for the school’s restoration, while the rest will go towards replacing exterior windows to prevent further damage.

The project, which started two years ago, aims to restore Douglass School and create a museum and learning center to preserve African American history in Lafayette County. Since then, essential repairs have been made to stabilize the building, and extensive cleanup efforts have been carried out.