Historic designation for local high school sparks events
by Ronald Collins, Jr.
Alumni board members Tahira Abdul-Rahman and Robert Jackson in front of Booker T. Washington High School (Photo: Uncredited)
“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.” ~ Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington’s words are particularly significant to the BTW Alumni Association in light of the fact that next weekend a series of events will be held in celebration of Booker T. Washington High School being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Celebrating the groundbreaking educational opportunities the school introduced to large segments of the African-American population, alongside the significant contributions it has made to the regional Civil Rights Movement, a banquet will be held on Saturday, October 31.
Since Booker T. Washington High School opened its doors on January 23, 1950, a majority of its former students, teachers and administrators are in general agreement that the local high school campus has not only played a major role in positively shaping lives in the African-American community, but also in helping to make changes to Shreveport’s overall history and culture.
Booker T. Washington’s words are particularly significant to the BTW Alumni Association in light of the fact that next weekend a series of events will be held in celebration of Booker T. Washington High School being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Celebrating the groundbreaking educational opportunities the school introduced to large segments of the African-American population, alongside the significant contributions it has made to the regional Civil Rights Movement, a banquet will be held on Saturday, October 31.
Since Booker T. Washington High School opened its doors on January 23, 1950, a majority of its former students, teachers and administrators are in general agreement that the local high school campus has not only played a major role in positively shaping lives in the African-American community, but also in helping to make changes to Shreveport’s overall history and culture.
“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.” ~ Booker T. Washington
Inadequate education facilities for African-Americans during the time period prompted the creation of the school. Said to capture the essence of Booker T. Washington himself, shortly after the school opened it was recognized in Life magazine for its innovation and commitment to the educational process. That process involved an impressive collection of highly trained educators who were able to utilize programs and facilities that rivaled what is typically found in most trade and technical schools of today - offering professional training including commercial baking; laundry and dry cleaning processes; typing, shorthand and bookkeeping; auto mechanics that incorporated machine body and fender repair; masonry and cement work; graphic arts; carpentry; electrical mechanics; sheet metal working, pottery and clay; landscape gardening and hot-house horticulture; leather craft; home laundry; cooking, sewing, needle-craft; shoe-craft; and cosmetology.
“All of the students at Booker T. were in an environment where they felt special,” BTW Alumni President Tahira Abdul-Rahman said, reflecting on the school’s commitment to students that she felt during her years attending the school. “Our teachers and administrators made every student feel that they were a part of the school, making us feel that our contribution as students was important. You didn’t have to be an A+ or B+ student, even the students that were having trouble with their classes there was always a mutual respect between the student and teacher. The teachers made it clear that it was important to them that what they were teaching transcended a grade in a class - that they were teaching us the skills and knowledge to succeed in life. Even for the students that were not at the top of the class academically, we were all encouraged to go to college.”
Acting upon the value that was promoted within the students both for themselves and for their community, students from Booker T. Washington played active roles in helping to shape the Civil Rights movement in the city.
On September 22, 1963, one of the city’s most notorious days for racial intolerance, horseback-riding Shreveport police officers stormed into a worship service at the historic Little Union Baptist Church where citizens gathered in memory of four little girls killed the week before at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. During the encounter noted local civil rights figure Rev. Harry Blake was nearly beaten to death. Unsettled by the violence, students from Booker T. Washington participated in a peaceful protest march originating from their campus to the Little Union Baptist Church. Students who participated in the protest were forcibly placed in police paddy wagons and hauled off to jail despite the fact that had not broken any laws.
“When you look at the Civil Rights era, Rev. Blake has always said that had it not been for students at Booker T. Washington stepping forward in protest to his beating, then the incident would have been just another black minister that was beaten up by the establishment,” said BTW Alumni Board member Fredrick Henson. “But because they did step forward, they ignited the civil rights movement around the city.”
Despite some of the challenges that the school has faced in the last 20 years, BTW Alumni feel the best course of action to reinvigorate this sense of pride in current and future students is to shine a light on the past accomplishments and what they have produced.
Being a part of the National Register of Historic Places is a distinction that took some effort, first the BTW Alumni, with the support of Mayor Ollie Tyler and Caddo Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Lamar Goree, solicited the support of Lane Callaway of the Shreveport Historic Preservation Commission. After getting his support the group traveled to Baton Rouge to make a formal presentation and to present a petition with over 1400 signatures to the state review committee. A few weeks ago they received the news that they had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places listing along with the 90,540 other entries.
The BTW Alumni Foundation will host the National Historic Recognition Banquet and Fundraiser on Saturday, October 31 at the Shreveport Country Club. Judge Carl Stewart, a BTW Alum, will serve as the keynote speaker. A meet and greet will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the banquet at 7:00 p.m. Donations are $40; reserved tables for eight $400.
Tickets can be purchased at BTW High School from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Tahira & Associates Realty, 449 Stoner Ave., noon to 5:00 p.m. No tickets will be sold on the day of the event. For more information call Frederick Henson (318) 286-5815 or Tahira (318) 840-4916. Organizers are calling upon the entire community to support this effort.
The Booker T. Washington High School Alumni will present a plaque, officially commemorating the event, on Friday, October 30 during a general assembly for the students.
“All of the students at Booker T. were in an environment where they felt special,” BTW Alumni President Tahira Abdul-Rahman said, reflecting on the school’s commitment to students that she felt during her years attending the school. “Our teachers and administrators made every student feel that they were a part of the school, making us feel that our contribution as students was important. You didn’t have to be an A+ or B+ student, even the students that were having trouble with their classes there was always a mutual respect between the student and teacher. The teachers made it clear that it was important to them that what they were teaching transcended a grade in a class - that they were teaching us the skills and knowledge to succeed in life. Even for the students that were not at the top of the class academically, we were all encouraged to go to college.”
Acting upon the value that was promoted within the students both for themselves and for their community, students from Booker T. Washington played active roles in helping to shape the Civil Rights movement in the city.
On September 22, 1963, one of the city’s most notorious days for racial intolerance, horseback-riding Shreveport police officers stormed into a worship service at the historic Little Union Baptist Church where citizens gathered in memory of four little girls killed the week before at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. During the encounter noted local civil rights figure Rev. Harry Blake was nearly beaten to death. Unsettled by the violence, students from Booker T. Washington participated in a peaceful protest march originating from their campus to the Little Union Baptist Church. Students who participated in the protest were forcibly placed in police paddy wagons and hauled off to jail despite the fact that had not broken any laws.
“When you look at the Civil Rights era, Rev. Blake has always said that had it not been for students at Booker T. Washington stepping forward in protest to his beating, then the incident would have been just another black minister that was beaten up by the establishment,” said BTW Alumni Board member Fredrick Henson. “But because they did step forward, they ignited the civil rights movement around the city.”
Despite some of the challenges that the school has faced in the last 20 years, BTW Alumni feel the best course of action to reinvigorate this sense of pride in current and future students is to shine a light on the past accomplishments and what they have produced.
Being a part of the National Register of Historic Places is a distinction that took some effort, first the BTW Alumni, with the support of Mayor Ollie Tyler and Caddo Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Lamar Goree, solicited the support of Lane Callaway of the Shreveport Historic Preservation Commission. After getting his support the group traveled to Baton Rouge to make a formal presentation and to present a petition with over 1400 signatures to the state review committee. A few weeks ago they received the news that they had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places listing along with the 90,540 other entries.
The BTW Alumni Foundation will host the National Historic Recognition Banquet and Fundraiser on Saturday, October 31 at the Shreveport Country Club. Judge Carl Stewart, a BTW Alum, will serve as the keynote speaker. A meet and greet will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the banquet at 7:00 p.m. Donations are $40; reserved tables for eight $400.
Tickets can be purchased at BTW High School from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Tahira & Associates Realty, 449 Stoner Ave., noon to 5:00 p.m. No tickets will be sold on the day of the event. For more information call Frederick Henson (318) 286-5815 or Tahira (318) 840-4916. Organizers are calling upon the entire community to support this effort.
The Booker T. Washington High School Alumni will present a plaque, officially commemorating the event, on Friday, October 30 during a general assembly for the students.