Austin-East High School facts for kids

Austin-East Magnet High School is a public high school located in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is part of the Knox County Schools system. The school offers a special program focused on performing arts.

School History and Merger

Austin-East High School was formed in 1968. It brought together two older schools: Austin High School and East High School. Before 1968, these schools were separate due to different racial groups attending them. Austin High was for black students, and East High was for white students. The merger created an integrated school, meaning students of all races could attend together. The new school was set up in the building that used to be East High School.

Austin High School's Beginnings

Austin High School first opened its doors in 1879. It was named after Emily Austin, a woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She worked hard to raise money to start Knoxville's first high school for black students. For eight years, she taught in elementary schools for black children in Knoxville. These schools were often in church basements or small, one-room buildings.

Emily Austin then traveled to the northern United States to ask for donations. She successfully raised $6,500. The Knoxville Board of Education added another $2,000, and Austin High School was able to begin.

In 1881, John W. Manning became the school's principal. He was the first black person to hold this position. Mr. Manning was a graduate of Yale University. He led the school until he retired in 1912.

Over the years, Austin High School moved to different locations. In 1916, it moved to Payne Avenue and was called Knoxville Colored High School. By 1928, the school needed more space. It moved again to Vine Street and went back to being called Austin High School. In 1952, Austin High moved into a new, modern building. It stayed there until it joined with East High School.

East High School's Story

East High School opened in 1951. It was one of four new schools created after the old Knoxville High split up. When it first opened, East High was only for white students. However, in the early 1960s, black students began to enroll as Knoxville schools slowly started to integrate. East High School had 17 graduating classes before it merged with Austin High School in 1968. Their sports teams were known as the "Mountaineers."

The Schools Come Together

In 1968, Austin High and East High, which were only a few blocks apart, became one school. This new school was called Austin-East High School. It was located in the former East High building. The old Austin school site became Vine Middle School. After the merger, many white students from East High moved to other high schools. This meant Austin-East became a school with mostly black students.

In 1987, the school became part of Knox County Schools. This happened when the city's school system joined with the county's.

In 1997, Austin-East became a magnet school. This meant it offered special programs in performing arts, science, and math. The magnet program was meant to attract more students from different backgrounds.

A Difficult Event in 2021

On April 12, 2021, an incident occurred at Austin-East High School. A student, Anthony Thompson Jr., died during a police response to a domestic situation. This event led to discussions and protests in the community about the role of police officers in schools. Students held daily walkouts to remember the event and ask for changes in policing. In June 2021, the Knoxville Police Department decided to remove its uniformed officers from Knox County schools at the end of that school year.

Magnet Program Focus

Austin-East's magnet program focuses on the performing arts. It works like a "school-within-a-school." Students can take specialized classes in dance, theater, and different types of music, like vocal and instrumental. The program also includes finance and business studies.

School Sports and Achievements

Austin-East High School has many sports teams. Students can play football, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, cross country, track and field, wrestling, and volleyball. The school also has a marching band.

The school's sports teams are called the "Roadrunners." They have won several state championships:

• Boys' basketball teams won state titles in 1977, 1985, and 1987.
• The football team won state championships in 1983, 1986, and 2001.
• The girls' basketball team won the state championship in 2007.
• The boys' track team won state championships in 1981 and 1987.
• The girls' track team won state championships in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 2007.

Notable People from Austin-East

Many talented individuals have attended Austin-East High School or its earlier schools:

• Bianca Belair: A professional wrestler for WWE and a former track and field athlete.
• Daniel Brown: The first African American to serve as mayor of Knoxville.
• Joey Clinkscales: A former NFL player and executive.
• Beauford Delaney and Joseph Delaney: Famous artists.
• Joe Fishback: A former NFL player who won two Super Bowls.
• Nikki Giovanni: A well-known poet.
• Paul Hogue: A basketball player who won two NCAA championships.
• Raleigh McKenzie: A former NFL player who won two Super Bowls.
• Reggie McKenzie: An NFL player and executive, and the valedictorian of his class.
• Sam McKenzie: A member of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
• Leroy Thompson: A former NFL athlete and All-American football player.
• Carl Torbush: A football coach who was in the first graduating class of the merged Austin-East High School.
• Elston Turner: An NBA player and coach who played on the school's 1977 state championship basketball team.