Douglass High School (Memphis, Tennessee)
Encyclopedia
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.
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. Subsequently the school district
used the building for storage, and it fell into a state of disrepair. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1998, but was torn down in 2006 to be replaced by a new building.
The new building was started in 2006 and the new Douglass High School opened to students in fall 2008.
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 scholarship
s and other purposes, and its member alumni lobbied
public officials to reopen the school.
serves on the school's football coaching staff.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, USA, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, operated by the Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools is the school district operating public schools in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. Its headquarters are in the Francis E. Coe Administration Building...
. Located in the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Douglass
Douglass, Memphis
Douglass is a community on the north side of Memphis, Tennessee. Douglass was named after Frederick Douglass, who was admired by Reverend William Rush-Plummer, the one-time owner of the land where the Douglass neighborhood currently stands....
neighborhood in North Memphis, it is named for Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
, a 19th century abolitionist.
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
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
caused enrollment to plummet as African American students were bused out of the neighborhood, but few white students reciprocated by attending Douglass. Subsequently the school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
used the building for storage, and it fell into a state of disrepair. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1998, but was torn down in 2006 to be replaced by a new building.
The new building was started in 2006 and the new Douglass High School opened to students in fall 2008.
Douglass High School has an active alumni association
Alumni association
An alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students. In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools , fraternities, and sororities often form groups with alumni from the same organisation...
with more than 500 members in seven chapters across the United States. The association raises funds for scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s and other purposes, and its member alumni lobbied
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
public officials to reopen the school.
Notable people
Former NFL player Cedrick WilsonCedrick Wilson
Cedrick Wilson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
serves on the school's football coaching staff.