- Douglass High School (Memphis, Tennessee)
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Douglass High School Established 1940, closed 1981
reopened 2008Type Public Principal Janet Ware-Thompson[1] Location Memphis, Tenn., USA Colors Maroon, Red and White Website Douglass High School
Location: 3200 Mount Olive Rd
Memphis, TennesseeCoordinates: 35°10′32″N 89°57′6″W / 35.17556°N 89.95167°WCoordinates: 35°10′32″N 89°57′6″W / 35.17556°N 89.95167°W NRHP Reference#: 98000241[2] Added to NRHP: 1998[2] Douglass High School is a public high school in Memphis, USA, Tennessee, operated by the Memphis City Schools. Located in the African American Douglass neighborhood in North Memphis, it is named for Frederick Douglass, a 19th century abolitionist.[3]
The school opened in 1946 and operated in the original Frederick Douglass High School building until 1981 when it closed. Closure occurred after cross-town busing for desegregation caused enrollment to plummet as African American students were bused out of the neighborhood, but few white students reciprocated by attending Douglass.[3] Subsequently the school district used the building for storage, and it fell into a state of disrepair.[4] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998,[2] but was torn down in 2006 to be replaced by a new building.[3][4]
The new building was started in 2006 and the new Douglass High School opened to students in fall 2008.[4]
Douglass High School has an active alumni association with more than 500 members in seven chapters across the United States. The association raises funds for scholarships and other purposes, and its member alumni lobbied public officials to reopen the school.[3]
Notable people
Former NFL player Cedrick Wilson serves on the school's football coaching staff.
References
- ^ "Regular Meeting of the Board of Education of the Memphis City Schools Monday, July 16, 2007" (PDF). Memphis City Schools. http://www.mcsk12.net/special.announcements/pdf/7-16-2007.Board.Minutes.pdf. Retrieved 2008-01-30.[dead link]
- ^ a b c Shelby County listings at the National Register of Historic Places . Retrieved on 2008-01-30. Ref #98000241.
- ^ a b c d Jane Roberts, Douglass community prepares to usher in a new era with high school grand opening, Memphis Commercial Appeal, November 20, 2008
- ^ a b c Michael Sheffield, Defunct Douglass High School to reopen as optional program, Memphis Business Journal, July 25, 2008
External links
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Topics Lists by states Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • WyomingLists by territories Lists by associated states Other 
Category:National Register of Historic Places • 
Portal:National Register of Historic PlacesCategories:- Educational institutions established in 1900
- Educational institutions disestablished in 1981
- Educational institutions established in 2008
- Schools in Memphis, Tennessee
- High schools in Tennessee
- Schools on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee
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