Date Original
1940-1987
Description
The collection includes reprints of yearbooks of Washington High School, El Dorado, Arkansas, dating from 1940-1949.
Biographical/Historical Note
Washington High School was established in the early 1920s in El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas. It was preceded by earlier African American schools in the town. In the 1940s, the school, containing grades one through twelve, was too small for the student population. Student and alumni editorials in the yearbooks campaigned for new African American schools in the city. In the "Hornet" spring 1949 edition Principal Napoleon (N.F.) Jackson announced plans for the scheduled opening of a new high school, at Hillsboro and Quaker Streets for the 1949-50 school year. Jackson, who was principal of Washington High School from 1927-1954, also served as president of the Arkansas Teachers Association from 1930-1933. On September 19, 1949, a new building for Washington High School opened. The older building, located on Columbia Street, became Carver Grammar School. The class of 1969 was the last graduating class of Washington High School before integration. Winston J. Muldrew was the school's last principal. The Washington High School yearbook, first named the "Bulletin," later became known as the "Hornet." The yearbook was sponsored by the school's English Department, and published annually by the senior class. It contained class photos, along with news of students, teachers, and alumni. The South Arkansas African American Historical Society provided reprints of Washington’s yearbooks, dating from 1940-1949. The project was made possible with a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and Black History Advisory Committee (now the Black History Commission of Arkansas). The original material is housed at the South Arkansas Museum of African American History in El Dorado.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
El Dorado, Union County (Ark.)
Language
English
Identifier
MS.000372
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Washington High School yearbooks and records, MS.000372
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Washington High School yearbooks and records, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
