Booker T. Washington High School was established as the first high school for African Americans in Dallas. Decades after its origination, the school is planning to celebrate a major milestone, its hundredth year anniversary.
The school’s plan for a grand centennial event is its way of recognizing its hundred years of rich history in the community. The Booker T. Washington High School is planning on conducting this celebratory event during the second week of March 2022. Administrators say that preparations have begun as the campus and community plan to celebrate in a big way.
Principal Scott Rudes said, “We’re truly, truly excited that this is our 100th year anniversary at Booker T. Washington High School.” He continued, “We stand on the shoulders of giants, and we are revolutionaries.”
The overarching theme of the school’s centennial event is “Two Schools, One Story.” As part of the celebrations, the school will host its first arts and culture festival. The staff is working on collecting oral history from past graduates.
“We’re going to have a culminating event that’s going to celebrate our history as a school, through the lens of what we do best at Booker T. And that is through the arts,” Rudes said.
Booker T. Washington High School is known for desegregation. For a long time, it was the only high school for African Americans in the city of Dallas. Some of its alumni are Dr. Ted Shine, an esteemed playwright, and Ernie Banks, a renowned baseball player nicknamed “Mr. Cub.”
“From its very inception, Booker T. Washington High School has been a pioneer for students throughout the City of Dallas,” Rudes said of the school’s long history.
