Spingarn High School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joel Elias Spingarn Senior High School
Spingarn Senior High School located in the Carver Langston neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Address
2500 Benning Road Northeast Washington , DC 20002 United States
Information
School type	Public high school
Established	1952
Closed	2013
School district	District of Columbia Public Schools
Grades	9 to 12
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	Green      Vegas gold
Mascot	Mighty Green Wave
Website	https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/14000198.htm

Joel Elias Spingarn High School was a public high school in Washington, D.C., USA. The school was named after Joel Elias Spingarn (1875–1939). He was an American teacher and writer. Spingarn started the Spingarn Medal in 1913. This medal is given every year for amazing achievements by an African American person.

The History of Spingarn High School

Spingarn High School opened its doors in 1952. It was a new and modern school built for African American students. At that time, schools were still separated by race. Spingarn was the last segregated high school built in Washington, D.C. This was just two years before the U.S. Supreme Court said school segregation was illegal. This important ruling happened in the case of Brown v. Board of Education.

Dedication and Early Years

The school had a special dedication ceremony in December 1953. Joel Spingarn's wife, Amy Spingarn, was there. Also attending were famous Spingarn Medal winners like Paul Robeson and W. E. B. Du Bois. A main speaker at the event was Howard University professor John Hope Franklin.

Dr. Purvis J. Wiliams was the first principal of Spingarn High School. He led the school until 1971. Under his leadership, Spingarn became known as one of the best Black schools in the district. About 1500 students attended Spingarn. Even after schools were no longer segregated, almost all the students were Black.

School Closure and Historic Status

From 1962 to 1963, students from Woodson Junior High School used the Spingarn High School building. Spingarn High School closed at the end of the 2012-13 school year. It closed because not enough students were enrolling. That year, only 374 students were attending. In May 2014, the school building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.

Spingarn High School's Basketball Legacy

Spingarn High School had a very impressive basketball history in D.C. Many well-known players came from this school. These include Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, and Sherman Douglas. Spingarn played in more City Title games than almost any other D.C. public school. They won the City Title in 1961, 1980, 1985, and 2000. The school also played in nine DCIAA title games. They won these games for three years in a row, from 2000 to 2003.

Famous People Who Attended Spingarn

Many talented individuals went to Spingarn High School. Here are some of them:

• Elgin Baylor: A famous basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is in the Hall of Fame.
• Dave Bing: A Hall of Fame basketball player for the Detroit Pistons. He also served as the Mayor of Detroit.
• John B. Catoe Jr.: He was the general manager for the Washington D.C. public transportation system.
• Sherman Douglas: A professional basketball player for teams like the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
• Michael Graham: A basketball player who won a national championship with Georgetown University.
• Ollie Johnson: A talented basketball player drafted by the Boston Celtics.
• Earl Jones: A professional basketball player drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers.
• John Kinard: The first director of the Anacostia Community Museum, a Smithsonian Institution museum.
• Willie Royster: A former MLB player for the Baltimore Orioles.
• Stan Washington: A retired NBA player for the Washington Bullets.
• Clarence Musgrove: An All-American athlete in track and field. He is in the Catholic University Hall of Fame.
• Mike Hinnant: A former NFL player. He is in the Temple University Hall of Fame.