Abiel Smith School, 46 Joy Street

Abiel Smith School, founded in 1835, is the oldest public school still standing in the United States that was built for purpose of educating Boston’s African American children. Designed by Richard Upjohn as his first public project, all black children in Boston were assigned to the Smith school, which replaced a basement school in the African Meeting House next door. It is a National Historic Landmark, a site on the Boston Black Heritage Trail and is part of the Museum of African American History. It is part of the Boston African American National Historic Site and is open to the public.