Booker T. Washington High School (Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Booker T. Washington High School |
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| Address | |
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715 South Lauderdale Street
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| Coordinates | 35°07′40″N 90°02′42″W / 35.127821°N 90.045078°W |
| Information | |
| Former name | Clay Street School |
| Type | Public secondary |
| Motto | We're tops! We lead and others follow. |
| Established | 1873 (built)-1926 (rebuilt) |
| School district | Memphis City Schools |
| Principal | Alicia Kiner |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 593 (2016-17) |
| Campus | Urban |
| Color(s) | |
| Mascot | Warrior |
| Affiliations | Shelby County Schools |
| Website | BTWHS Website |
 Eastern facade with main entrance from South Lauderdale Street |
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Booker T. Washington High School, often called BTW, is a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is located north of Downtown Memphis. This school teaches students from 9th to 12th grade. Until 2013, it was part of the Memphis City Schools system. Now, it is managed by the Shelby County Schools district. The school became famous across the country when U.S. President Barack Obama gave the graduation speech there in 2011. This was a special reward for the school winning the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge.
Contents
School History
Booker T. Washington High School has a long and interesting history.
Early Beginnings
The school first opened in 1873 as the Clay Street School. It was one of the very first public high schools for African American students in Memphis. Green Polonius Hamilton was the first principal. In 1891, the school's name was changed to Kortrecht High School.
New Building and Name
In 1926, a brand new building was built for the school. At this time, the school was renamed to honor Booker T. Washington. He was a very important American educator and civil rights leader. Over the years, more parts were added to the school. For example, the Blair T. Hunt Gymnasium was built in 1950.
Winning the Race to the Top Challenge
Booker T. Washington High School gained national attention for its amazing achievements.
What Was the Challenge?
In 2011, the school entered and won the "Race to the Top Commencement Challenge." This was a special competition for public high schools across the country. Schools had to show how well they prepared their students for college and future careers. To enter, students wrote essays and made videos. These showed how the school was using new and smart ways to teach.
School's Achievements
Booker T. Washington High School had some great successes. For example, their graduation rates went way up! In 2007, only 55% of students graduated. But by 2010, this number jumped to 82%. They achieved this by using things like same-gender classrooms for freshmen and making sure teachers were very effective.
President Obama's Visit
The school beat over 450 other schools to win this challenge. As a special prize for their hard work and success, President Barack Obama came to the school. He gave the graduation speech for the class of 2011.
Famous People Who Attended BTW
Many talented people have graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. Here are some of them:
- Johnny Ace - A famous R&B singer from Memphis.
- J. Blackfoot - A Memphis soul singer and member of The Soul Children. He is known for his song "Taxi."
- The Bar-Kays - A popular Memphis soul, R&B, and funk band that started in 1966.
- Marion Barry - A former mayor of Washington, D.C.
- Harvey Branch - A professional baseball player.
- Lucie Campbell - An evangelist and songwriter.
- W. W. Herenton - The first African-American mayor of Memphis.
- George W. Haley - A lawyer, politician, public official, and ambassador.
- Benjamin Hooks - An American civil rights leader and former head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
- Verdell Mathis - A player in the Negro baseball leagues.
- The Mad Lads - A Memphis soul and R&B vocal group that formed at the school in 1965.
- Booker T. Jones - An American musician and leader of the band Booker T & The MGs.
- David Porter (musician) - A songwriter for Stax Records who wrote many hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, like "Soul Man."
- Maxine Smith - An academic, civil rights activist, and school board official.
- Oscar Reed - An American professional football player who played running back for the Minnesota Vikings.
- Judge Russell B. Sugarmon, Jr. - A civil rights attorney and a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
- Rufus Thomas - A writer and performer for Stax Records.
- Fred Valentine - A Major League Baseball outfielder.
- Maurice White - The founder of the famous soul and R&B band Earth, Wind and Fire.
- Lorenzen Wright - A professional basketball player.
See also
- List of things named after Booker T. Washington
- Manassas High School
