Have you ever wondered about the person behind the name of your childhood school? One would imagine they’d have to be of importance if they’re immortalized on the front of an elementary school building. Believe it or not, Atlanta Public Schools once named all schools after the ward, street, or neighborhood they serviced. It wasn’t until 1923 that the Board of Education decided to rename schools for prominent Atlantan’s rather than streets. Their reasoning for this is the fact that naming schools after prominent personas rather than inanimate objects are more meaningful. Touche’ Atlanta, touche’.
The renaming of Atlanta schools after prominent Atlanta figures intrigued me, thus, the subject of this blog post was born. I hope you will leave feeling inspired by the people listed and with a better understanding of the schools that once were (or still are).
George W. Adair
School Name: Adair Elementary School
School Neighborhood: Adair Park
George W. Adair elementary school was named for slave dealer turned real estate tycoon Col. Born in Morgan County, Georgia, George W. Adair’s family would move to Dekalb County in 1835. After the death of his mother, Adair’s father sent him to live in Decatur, GA where he worked as a general store clerk.
Deeply in debt after graduating law school, Adair took a job as a conductor for the Georgia railroad where he’d remain for four years. After the Civil War, Adair returned to Atlanta to resume his real estate business. He’d go on to start the Atlanta Street Railway Company with Richard Peters in 1871 where the pair would begin developing suburbs through Atlanta (West End, Adair Park, etc). Adair started a real estate company with his sons in the late 1800’s as well.
Daniel Cornelius O’Keefe
School Name: O’Keefe High School
School Neighborhood: Home Park
Daniel O’Keefe Highschool (1947-1973), which is now apart of the GA Tech campus was named in honor of Dr. Daniel Cornelius O’Keefe (Oct 1828 – Aug 1871), better known as the founder of the Atlanta Public School System. Dr. O’Keefe was a practicing surgeon who performed many surgeries during the Civil War as a practicing surgeon for the Confederacy. He and Mrs. O’Keefe owned a stately home on the corner of West Peachtree Street and West Peachtree Place. Originally from County Limerick, Ireland, in October 1827, O’Keefe emigrated to America landing in New Orleans before moving to Augusta, GA where he studied medicine. After practicing medicine in Greensboro, GA, and Knoxville, TN he would eventually settle in the city of Atlanta in 1857. Upon his death, Dr. O’Keefe would be laid to rest at the historic Oakland Cemetery.
David T. Howard
School Name: David T. Howard Highschool
School Neighborhood: Fourth Ward
Through research, I’ve discovered that David T. Howard was quite accomplished and well known throughout the city of Atlanta. As a successful undertaker, Howard was lauded as premier Negro undertaker or funeral services owner, enjoying over 50 years in service.
It appears that David T. Howard was a smart businessman when it came to the ability to capitalize on racial segregation within the city of Atlanta. On March 3, 1901, The Atlanta Constitution posted an article stating David T. Howard’s decision to bury all Negro paupers who otherwise could not afford funeral services. Howard’s decision allowed the poor to be buried in dignity. It was quite interesting to also see a mention of the historic Southview cemetery as well. Howard outbid two other funeral homes to win the contract at $1.24 per body. Seems kinda morbid, but it obviously worked.
His opinions on race relations and equality are similar to Booker T. Washington’s ideas where he seems to place the responsibility of racial harmony upon the backs of African-American’s. Perhaps I am misunderstanding his comments, but these comments may have sparked criticism from W.E.B. DuBois at the time.
On April 18, 1935, David T. Howard passed away. The Atlanta Constitution featured a lengthy and positive write up about the successes of David T. Howard. He’s described as a great loss to the African-American race, as well as the business world. Upon his death, several tributes to David T. Howard was conducted throughout the city, including notable performances by the Morris Brown College choir as well as the David T. Howard Highschool sextet. David T. Howard’s funeral company would eventually be taken over by his daughter Eleanor B. Murphy as mentioned in a 1942 The Atlanta Constitution article.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
School Name: Roosevelt High School (formerly Girl’s High)
School Neighborhood: Grant Park
Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, formerly known as Girl’s High until 1947 was obviously renamed after the thirty-second President of the United States of American, aptly known as FDR. The gorgeous 1924 Neo-Byzantine structure is located in the Grant Park Historic District. In Atlanta, this high school was simply known as Roosevelt, and the original building remains (converted to upscale lofts).
Franklin D. Roosevelt is best known for the implementation of the New Deal which spurned projects that many APS schools benefitted from (WPA specifically). He is also known for his steadfast leadership during World War II. Roosevelt served as President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. Born in Warm Springs, Georgia, the popular Democratic President and his equally popular wife, Eleanor Roosevelt are among some of the most recognizable and admired figures in American history.
Charles Lincoln Harper
School Name: Harper Junior Highschool
School Neighborhood: Collier – Heights
Harper Junior High School was named Morris Brown secondary education professor Charles Lincoln Harper, who would go on to become the first principal of Booker T. WashinHigh school. Prior to becoming principal of the city’s first public high school for African-American students, Harper was the principal of Younge Street Elementary School. In addition to education, Charles Lincoln Harper was also a staunch activist who fought for the rights of African-American educators such as high pay rates and more state aid for black graduate students. Harper would go on to retire from education in 1942.
Henry McNeal Turner
School Name: Turner Highschool
School Neighborhood: Anderson Park
Turner Highschool was named after the illustrious pastor Henry McNeal Turner who has been credited with establishing the AME churches in Georgia. Born free in South Carolina in 1834, local legend claims that Turner was born with royal lineage. His great-grandfather was said to be an African prince who was kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in America in the 1700’s. While it hasn’t been proven or disproven, one thing for sure, Turner led an accomplished life. In 1863 he became the first black chaplain for the United States Colored Troops. His high ranking Christian status allowed him to travel the country preaching the gospel to both black and white audiences.
Turner would quickly establish himself as a black leader both near and far, but his status would grow more pronounced as he began to align himself with black nationalism. Staunch racism in America prompted Turner to proclaim that life in America for African-Americans would never improve. Therefore, we must leave and return to our native country to experience equality and restore our dignity. Turner’s black nationalism talk would be deemed controversial, resulting in stinging criticisms from many.
Turner would go on to serve as the chair of the board of Morris Brown College from 1896–1908, as well as various other activities that kept him busy until his death in 1915.
Michael Hoke Smith
School Name: Hoke Smith Highschool
School Neighborhood: Grant Park
Hoke Smith Highschool, formerly located in the Grant Park area was named for famous Georgian, Michael Hoke Smith (1855-1931). A native of North Carolina, Smith moved to Atlanta in 1868 after his father lost his position at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Smith immediately took to his new city, ultimately becoming a lawyer at the age of seventeen. Smith’s prominence as the leading injury attorney in the Southeast for railroad workers and railroad passengers continued to rise, making Smith quite wealthy along the way.
Similarly, to his father, Smith served on the Atlanta Board of Education for well over twenty years. His wealth afforded him the ability to purchase the local Atlanta Journal newspaper in 1887, where he would use his political voice to endorse political candidates of his choice. Smith, himself would eventually enter politics when he won the gubernatorial race against rival Clark Howell, owner of the Atlanta Constitution.
Smith also served as a U.S. Senator where he served until he was unseated in 1920. Smith would remain in Washington, D.C. where remained active in politics (he was well known for disenfranchising black voters consistently) until his death in 1931.
Joseph E. Brown
School Name: Brown Highschool
School Neighborhood: West End
Brown Highschool was named for Joseph Emerson Brown (1821 -1894), who served as Confederate governor of Georgia during the Civil War and was a faithful proponent of states right and slavery. After the Civil War, Brown would anger many Georgia politicians as he began to shift his support to Reconstruction, and switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party (he’d ultimately switch back to the Democratic Party). Deemed a traitor by Georgia politicians, Brown his U.S. Senate bid in 1868. Undeterred, he would be appointed a chief justice of Georgia’s Supreme Court. After resigning from the Courts in 1870, Brown would go on to serve as the president of the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Brown would amass great wealth, mostly off the backs of African-American convict laborers in his Dade County Coal Company. Brown would be buried in historic Oakland Cemetery upon his death in 1894.
Luther Judson Price
School Name: Price Highschool
School Neighborhood: Chosenwood Park
Price High School, built in 1954, was named for Luther Judson Price, a prominent African-American Georgia businessman. Born in Sunnyside, Georgia in 1856, Price would pay his way through Clark University where he studied in business (he was one of the first graduates of Clark University as well).
In 1889, Price was appointed Post Master of the South where he would serve for 25 years under five U.S. Presidents. Price operated the post office out of his own store located on Gammon Street. His store serviced both black and white customers for fifty years. Mr. Price notably escaped an angry mob during the Atlanta Race Riots of 1906, where he narrowly escaped with his life (he was accused of selling ammo to African-Americans). Luckily, he escaped and went to fight for the civil rights of African-Americans until his death in 1936.
Samuel Howard Archer
School Name: Archer Highschool (1950-1995)
School Neighborhood: Scott’s Crossing – 2250 Perry Boulevard, N.W., Atlanta
APS named their new school for African American high schoolers after Samuel Howard Archer (1870 – 1941), known as the first African-American to play at Colgate University; he also became the fifth president of Morehouse College in 1931 (during the Great Depression), and is credited with creating Morehouse’s colors, maroon and white. Previously, before becoming president, Archer taught Mathematics at Morehouse. During his thirty-six-year tenure at Morehouse, the Virginia native gained the reputation of being the greatest educator of all time. If you are interested in research about Archer, the Auburn Avenue Research library contains an extensive collection of his works.
John B. Gordon
School Name: John B. Gordon
School Neighborhood: East Atlanta
John B. Gordon (1832-1904), the namesake for the no-longer in existence Gordon Elementary, was born on a plantation in Upton County, Georgia in 1832 to a coal mine operator. As a youth, he would attend the University of Georgia where he would garner the highest GPA of his peers. Without an explanation, despite his exceedingly stellar grades, Gordon would drop out before graduation. Upon quitting college, Gordon would move to Atlanta in 1854, practice law unsuccessfully and get married. His failure at law would force him to move back to Upston County where he’d operate his father’s mine until the Civil War erupted.
Despite his lack of military knowledge, Gordon would ultimately become one of the most successful Confederate soldiers. Upon leaving the military Gordon would return to Atlanta where he’d work tirelessly to disrupt the successes of Reconstruction. He would become one of the main architects of the Compromise of 1877. He’d also serve as Governor of Georgia (1886 – 1890) and then as Senator (1891 – 1897). In addition to politics, Gordon was a staunch racist, serving as the leader of the Ku Klux Klan as well.
By the time of his death in 1904, Gordon had become famous as a figure of the Civil War. Often exaggerating his role during the war, he became somewhat of a Civil War heroic figure, especially after publishing his memoir, Reminiscences of the Civil War.
Rev. Edward Randolph Carter
School Name: E.R. Carter Elementary (formerly Ashby Street School)
School Neighborhood: Washington Heights
The Rev. Edward Randolph Carter (1856 – 1944) wore many hats as an activist, minister, educator, writer, and editor. He would ultimately pastor over 60 years at the Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. Prior to the ministry, Rev. Carter was born into slavery. After freedom, he’s move to Atlanta and enrolled in the Atlanta Baptist Seminary, which is now Morehouse College, where he’d study to become a minister. Rev. Carter is credited with founding Spelman College, where student’s first classes were actually held in the basement of his church.
Rev. Carter would also be credited with being instrumental in the founding of Baptist World Alliance, founded in London in 1905; became a Board of Trustee member for Morehouse College and served on the Executive Committee of the Baptist World Alliance until poor health forced him to retire earlier than planned. Upon his death in 1944, Ashby Street Elementary would be named in his honor.
Forgotten Atlanta Public Schools 