A. H. Parker High School facts for kids

A.H. Parker High School is a public high school in Birmingham, Alabama. It serves students in grades 9 through 12. The school is part of the Birmingham City Schools system. It is named after Arthur Harold Parker, a respected educator in Birmingham. The school's colors are purple and white. Its mascot is the Bison, known as the 'Thundering Herd'. Parker High competes in sports through the AHSAA in Class 6A.

School History

Parker High School first opened in the fall of 1900. It was originally called Negro High School. At that time, schools were separated by race. This school was for African-American students. It started with 19 freshmen and one teacher. The first group of students graduated on June 3, 1904. Fifteen students received their diplomas at the 16th Street Baptist Church. William R. Pettiford, a pastor and banker, helped start the school. Arthur H. Parker was its first principal.

In September 1910, the school moved to a temporary spot. It began teaching skills like sewing and childcare to young women. By then, about 100 students were enrolled. Construction for a permanent school building started in 1923. By 1929, the school had a building for industrial arts, a library, and a gym.

By 1937, over 2,700 students attended the school. In 1939, Arthur H. Parker retired as principal. The school was then renamed in his honor. It became A.H. Parker High School. The school continued to grow. In 1946, it had 3,761 students. Because of this, it was known as the largest high school for African-American students in the world. In 1953, the school earned special recognition from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It has kept this recognition ever since.

In 2007, the Birmingham City Board of Education decided to rebuild Parker High. This was part of a big school construction project. An old classroom building from 1927 was torn down in 2011. This made way for the new campus.

School Campus

Parker High School's current campus opened in 2011. It is a large building, covering 194,250 square feet. The new school cost $41 million to build. It was built next to the old school. The old building was then taken down. This created space for parking and sports fields. The school has a media center for learning and research. It also has a special lab for distance learning. There is a career tech wing for job skills training. The auditorium can hold 750 students. The cafeteria can seat over 350 students.

Student Life

For the 2013–14 school year, Parker High had 884 students. Most students, about 98%, were African-American. About 1% were Hispanic, and 1% were multiracial. Around 90% of the students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. This means they received help with meal costs.

The graduation rate at Parker High is about 49%. Around 62% of students meet or go beyond math standards. About 52% meet or go beyond reading standards. The average ACT score for Parker students is 19.

Notable Alumni

Many successful people have graduated from A.H. Parker High School. Here are a few:

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