Despite Segregation, Black High Schools Did Big Things
African-American high schools were known for excellence.
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Despite Segregation, Black High Schools Did Big Things - Before public schools were integrated, there were all-Black high schools in major American cities that were known for academic excellence and turning out stellar graduates. As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, take a look at these eight schools that were shining lights in their communities. – Jonathan P. Hicks (@HicksJonathan) (Photo: PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
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A Star Performer in the Nation’s Capital - Established in 1870, Dunbar High School was America's first public high school for Black students. Since its inception, the school graduated many well-known figures of the 20th century, including Charles Drew, Robert Weaver and Benjamin O. Davis. Its illustrious faculty included Mary Church Terrell and Carter G. Woodson. (Photo: NDAA Historical Collection/NSS /Landov)
Photo By NDAA Historical Collection/NSS /Landov
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In St. Louis, a Renowned High School - Charles H. Sumner High School was the first school for African-American students west of the Mississippi River. The school excelled in sports and academics. The school’s alumni includes Arthur Ashe, Chuck Berry, Grace Bumbry and Tina Turner. (Photo: wiki commons)
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In Segregated Atlanta, a Diamond of Black Education - Constructed in the 1920s, Booker T. Washington High School was the first Black public high school built in Atlanta. It was – and continues to be – an important cultural institution in that city’s Black community. Because of its quality of education, many students came from out of town to attend this school. Its graduates include Martin Luther King Jr. In this picture, former President George W. Bush speaks at the high school beside school principal Dr. Shirley Kilgore. (Photo: Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images)
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A Pittsburgh School Known for Athletes and Musicians - Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh is a public school that turned out such prominent African-American graduates as musicians Billy Strayhorn, Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal as well as athletes Maurice Stokes and Chuck Cooper. (Photo: Charles 'Teenie' Harris/Carnegie Museum of Art/Getty Images)
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