Washington Magnet Elementary School is a historic school and building located at Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. It was built in 1923-1924 to serve African-American students in Raleigh and is now a magnet elementary school.
History
From 1924 until 1953, Washington served as the only secondary education institution for black students in Raleigh.[2] This changed with the establishment of John W. Ligon Junior-Senior High School, which assumed that role.
In 1982, Washington became an elementary school involved with the magnet program and Gifted & Talented curriculum.[3]
Washington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 as the Washington Graded and High School.[1] In 2003, it received designation as a Local Historic Site by the City of Raleigh's Historic Preservation Association.[3]
Building
Washington Graded and High School was originally constructed in 1923-1924 as part of the city of Raleigh's plans to expand the education system in order to accommodate increasing numbers of school-aged children. The project was funded by a portion of the money from a million dollar bond issued by the school board on April 4, 1922.[4] At the time of its completion in 1924, The original building is a two-story brick building with Tudor Revival-style design elements. A three-story rear addition was built in 1927, a track in 1942, a gymnasium in 1949, and other additions were made in 1996 and 2000. The building was renovated from 2002-2003.[5]
Notable alumni
- John H. Baker Jr., former NFL defensive lineman and long-time Wake County sheriff[6]
- Maycie Herrington, history conservator
- June Kay Campbell, civil rights activist
- Pee Wee Moore, jazz saxophonist[7]
- Millie Dunn Veasey, civil rights activist and United States Army veteran[8]
Notable faculty
- John W. Ligon, interim principal which John W. Ligon Middle School was named after
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Raleigh Historic Development Commission, "Washington Graded And High School," Raleigh Historic, accessed July 12, 2016
- ^ a b "Our History". www.wcpss.net/washingtones. Wake County Public School System. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
- ^ Barbee, Jennie M (1943). Historical sketches of the Raleigh Public Schools, 1876-1941-1942. Raleigh, North Carolina: Barbee Pupils' Association.
- ^ Cynthia de Miranda and Sarah Woodard (May 2004). "Washington Graded and High School" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ John Baker Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Guide to the Pee Wee Moore Papers, 1945-2009". David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ Millie Dunn Veasey, one of the last members of the only all-black, all-women battalion to serve overseas in WWII, passes away at age 100. The Vintage News. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
External links
