Howard University Gets Stimulus Grant To Repair Historic Building

Howard University in Washington D.C. is getting federal economic stimulus money to repair a building that's steeped in the history of African-American desegregation.

Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, makes his way gingerly around the darkened and crumbling auditorium inside the Minor Teachers College, a three story red brick Neo-Classical structure built in the 1850's.

He's just announced the $800,000 grant as part of a $14 million effort to help refurbish historically black colleges and universities like Howard.

"Our investment today is a down payment on what has to be done here at Howard," says Salazar.

Lesley Fenwick is Dean of the School of Education. She's been guiding Salazar through a tour of the dilapidated sections of the building, flashlight in hand.

"It was the site for preparation of black teachers in Washington D.C. for years, established by a white abolitionist. So the history of the place is very compelling," she says.

Fenwick says the grant aims to restore Howard's most historic building back to its original intent as a center for teaching.

Mana Rabiee reports...