The beginnings of Booker T. Washington High School

Built by local Atlanta architect Eugene Wachendorff in 1924, Booker T. Washington High School was the first public secondary school for Black youth in the state. Unfortunately, it was a long road to opening the school, happening only due to the perseverance of several Black leaders.

The school was named for the Virginia man born into slavery, who went on to become the first principal of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. An influential Black leader in education, the namesake proved fitting, as many notable leaders have walked the halls, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Asa Yancy and more.

– MaryGrace Williams, 360 Media, Inc.