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South St. Louis, Carondelet, South County
Colored School # 7 - Wheatley School
4239 Papin Street
Open to public / Not Open to public
Not open to public - DISPLACED
Colored School #7 opened around 1880 in the area known as Rock Springs, which was incorporated into Saint Louis in 1876. In 1890, the school was renamed for Phyllis Wheatley.
Born in Senegal, West Africa, she arrived in Boston at the age of 7 or 8, and was bought off the slave block by John Wheatley, a wealthy merchant and tailor. Wheatley and his wife reared the girl more as a daughter than a slave and gave her the name Phyllis.
The young girl soon astonished everyone by speaking, reading, and writing fluent English. Wheatley's first published poem in 1770 attracted much local attention. At age 20, she was acclaimed a prodigy in both America and Europe. Voltaire praised her for her very good English. In 1773 she visited England where her book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was published.
The Wheatley School was last used in 1972-73 school year. The Board of Education sold the building in 1974.
SOURCE: The historical information presented on this page is adapted with permission from Discovering African American St. Louis: A Guide to Historic Sites by Dr. John A. Wright, Sr. We are honored to share his invaluable research and historical insights, made available through the generous consent of Dr. Wright and the Missouri Historical Society Press. Their dedication to preserving and celebrating the rich legacy of Black St. Louis is a gift to our community—a testament to those who came before us and a guide for those who walk the path forward.
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4239 Papin Street
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