A. H. Parker High School facts for kids

A.H. Parker High School is a public high school located in Birmingham, Alabama. It teaches students from 9th to 12th grade.

This school is one of seven high schools in the Birmingham City School System. It is named after a respected educator from Birmingham, Arthur Harold Parker. The school colors are purple and white, and their mascot is the Bison, also known as the 'Thundering Herd'. Parker High School competes in sports through the AHSAA in Class 6A.

School History

Early Beginnings

Parker High School first opened in the fall of 1900. It was originally called Negro High School. It was created as a high school for African-American students. The first class had 19 students and one teacher.

The school's first graduation ceremony was on June 3, 1904. Fifteen students received their diplomas at the 16th Street Baptist Church. A local pastor and banker, William R. Pettiford, helped start the school. Arthur H. Parker was the very first principal.

Growth and New Buildings

In September 1910, the school moved to a temporary spot called the Lane Auditorium. At this time, they started teaching skills like sewing, knitting, and child care to young women. About 100 students were enrolled then.

Construction on a permanent school building began in 1923. By 1929, the school had several new facilities. These included a building for industrial arts, a library, and a gymnasium.

Renaming the School

By 1937, the school had grown a lot, with over 2,700 students. In 1939, Principal A.H. Parker retired. The school was then renamed in his honor to A.H. Parker High School.

The school continued to grow even more. In 1946, it had 3,761 students. Because of this large number, it became known as the biggest high school for African-American students in the world. In 1953, the school received special accreditation. This means it met high standards for education, and it has kept this accreditation ever since.

Modern Campus Development

In February 2007, the Birmingham City Board of Education announced plans. Parker High School would be one of the schools rebuilt using money from a special fund. There were discussions about tearing down an old classroom building from 1927. This building was eventually taken down in 2011.

School Campus

Parker High School's current campus opened in 2011. It is a large building, about 194,250 square feet. The construction cost around $41 million.

The new building was built next to the old school. After the new school was finished, the old building was taken down. This made space for parking and sports fields. The school has a media center, a special lab for distance learning, and a career tech wing. It also has an auditorium that can hold 750 students. The cafeteria is big enough for more than 350 students.

Student Life and Sports

Student Community

For the 2013–14 school year, Parker High School had 884 students in grades 9-12. Most students are African-American. A small number are Hispanic or multiracial. About 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch programs.

The graduation rate for Parker students is 49%. About 62% of students meet or do better than expected in math. Also, 52% meet or do better than expected in reading. The average ACT score for students at Parker is 19.

Athletic Achievements

Parker High School has many different sports teams. They have won several state championships.

• The football team won the 6A state championship in 2024. Frank Warren is the head football coach.
• The boys' basketball team has won four state championships in total. Dannelle Smith is the head boys' basketball coach.
• The boys' track team has won one state championship. Jackson Bowden is the head track and field coach.

Tyrus Moss is the head baseball coach and also an assistant principal. Parker started a golf team in 2024. Darrell Hudson, the school's principal, is also the head golf coach. Parker will have a tennis team for the first time in the 2026 season. Jack Rusevlyan will be the head coach.

Famous Alumni

Many notable people have graduated from A.H. Parker High School:

• Oscar W. Adams Jr., a justice on the Alabama Supreme Court
• Rufus Billups, a Major General
• Eric Bledsoe, NBA basketball player
• Bill Bruton, MLB baseball player
• Buck Buchanan, a defensive tackle in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Nell Carter, singer and actress
• Clyde Foster, NASA EEO director
• Erskine Hawkins, musician
• Lola Hendricks, civil rights activist
• Haywood Henry, jazz saxophonist
• Wendell Hudson, basketball player and coach
• Khalifa Keith, college football running back
• Larry Langford, former mayor of Birmingham
• Raymond Lee Lathan, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Carlos May, MLB baseball player
• Lee May, MLB baseball player
• Willie E. May, former Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Avery Parrish, jazz musician
• George Perdue, Alabama legislator
• Sun Ra, jazz musician
• John Rhoden, sculptor
• Bennie Seltzer, basketball coach
• Walter Sharpe, basketball player
• Olanda Truitt, former NFL wide receiver
• Lynneice Washington, lawyer and district attorney
• Chris Woods, football player