History of the J. B. Norwood Negro School forgotten.

J. B. Norwood Negro School was a school that taught 1st grade through 8th grade from 1892 to 1935 in Del Valle, Texas. J. B. Norwood Negro School was named after a white landowner named after James B. Norwood (James Bascum Norwood aka James Bascom Norwood).

J. B. Norwood Negro School began life in 1892 after being built as a wooden frame school. Nearly 100% of this school was built out of wood.  The school was a one-room building that was long and narrow with many windows. This school taught 1st grade through 8th grade. The school was always 100% African-American. J. B. Norwood Negro School was located at the intersection of FM 973 & Burleson Road in Del Valle, Texas before moving to Emma Browning Avenue.

Of course racism and segregation were law of the land in Texas prior to integration. J. B. Norwood School District had its own separate “J. B. Norwood School’s” for each race and ethnicity. A J. B. Norwood School for white students, a J. B. Norwood School for negro students, and a “Mexican School” for hispanic students. Each school in School District #66 was designated as a “J. B. Norwood School”. 

There were J. B. Norwood Schools in both Del Valle, Texas and Austin, Texas. The J. B. Norwood Negro School location was Del Valle on Emma Browning Avenue (then an unidentified road) located north of Onion Creek identified based off a topographic Travis County map from the year 1932. The school was identified as “J. B. Norwood Negro School” .
During time of operation, J. B. Norwood School had its own school district called J. B. Norwood School District better known as School District No. 66 from 1892 to 1935.

By 1932, the J. B. Norwood Negro School reverted from a K-8 school that taught grades 1st through 8th to a K-7 school which taught grades 1st through 7th. Most J. B. Norwood School(s) taught grades 1st through 8th. Students were bussed to Austin ISD to attend high school.

When Bergstrom Air Force Base was being built in 1933, School District No. 66 was forced to relocate its schools elsewhere. Finally after much delay, School District No. 66 relocated its schools in 1935. The school relocation displaced students so they attended schools in the Colorado Common School District (now Del Valle ISD). 

J. B. Norwood Negro School was relocated to Norwood Lane & Burleson Road (FM 812) in 1935. J. B. Norwood White School relocated across the street from J. B. Norwood Negro School later on in 1935. 31 students were enrolled at the J. B. Norwood Negro School during the 1934-1935 school semester. The average daily attendance during the 1934-1935 school semester was at 18 students a day.

Sometime in the 20th century, the J. B. Norwood Negro School was demolished. There are no traces of this school remaining today. J. B. Norwood Schools were located inside the property of today’s Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA).