In June 2024, a group of Sir Francis Drake High School graduates formed the Coalition for Restoration of Drake History, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of Sir Francis Drake-related artifacts in Marin County. Their team of alumni works together to collect artifacts and educate the community on Drake’s voyage and legacy, with a specific focus on Sir Francis Drake High School, since renamed to Archie Williams.
Marcie Miller, an alumna of Drake and Education Coordinator at the Marin History Museum, has served as secretary of the coalition since its establishment in 2024.
“[2024 is] when we identified the need to preserve the memorabilia of the [Drake]. While on a tour of [Archie Williams], we discovered that things that had been on display were no longer on display… We had to investigate that, so that’s why we formed the [coalition],” Miller said.
While the coalition’s mission statement is to “correct and educate the historical significance of Sir Francis Drake in and around Marin County, California,” the coalition has focused on Archie Williams in recent months. After the Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) voted to rename Drake in honor of Archie Williams in Fall 2021, nearly 70 years of Drake-themed athletic jerseys, trophies, and other memorabilia found a new home in storage units around campus. The majority of Drake-themed memorabilia has been stored in the field house adjacent to the baseball field and bus garages across from the 500s corridor buildings…