Syphax Village

William Syphax was one of ten children born to Charles Syphax and Maria Carter. Charles had been enslaved by George Washington Parke Custis, grandson and adopted son of George and Martha Washington. Maria was also enslaved and presumed to be the daughter of Custis.

Maria, along with the newly born William and his older sister, were freed and given 17 acres of land from Custis’ estate in Arlington in 1826, with Charles being freed later following Custis’ death.

Syphax was a major proponent of a unified public school system with equal educational standards, and he would go on to oversee construction of the Summer, Lincoln, and Stevens schools, which were the first African American schools that were equally designed to those built for white students.

Syphax School was completed in 1901  with improvements being made in 1941 and 1953. The school ceased to operate in 1994 after which the building became a crack house.

The old school building was declared a historic landmark in 2003 and developed into a condominium complex in 2005 known as Syphax Village.