Booker T. Washington was born an enslaved person, but grew up to become the founding principal and first president of Tuskegee University, a historically Black school in Alabama, in 1895. Atlanta’s storied high school is named for the famous Black educator, and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this month.
The school opened its doors in September 1924 and was the only public high school that served Black students in Georgia. The school sits just north of Atlanta University Center on the city’s west side. Atlanta City Council member Byron Amos hosted a reception Monday and presented a proclamation in honor of the school.
Here are five things to know about Washington High.
It’s historic . In addition to it being the first secondary school for Black students in Georgia, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places.
It has many distinguished graduates. The list includes the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; actor Lena Horne; Leroy Johnson, who was the first Black state senator in the South since Reconstruction; business pioneer Herman J. Russell; Dr. Louis Sullivan; and rapper Lil’ Baby.