Mineral Wells in Olive Branch in DeSoto County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

East Side High School

Photographed by Nicolas Rausch, August 1, 2023

1. East Side High School Marker

Inscription. East Side High was established under the direction of Rev. R.C. George as principal (1958-1968). Henry B. Wilkerson served as the second principal from 1968 to 1970. Opened as a segregated school for African Americans, East Side existed for just eleven years before integration. Alumni of the school include Judge Bernice Donald, who was appointed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2011, and Leon Gray, who played football at Jackson State and in the NFL after playing for the East Side Golden Dragons.

Erected 2017 by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education.

Location. 34° 58.202′ N, 89° 50.295′ W. Marker is in Olive Branch, Mississippi, in DeSoto County. It is in Mineral Wells. It is on Pigeon Roost Road 0.2 miles north of Camp Creek Blvd, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8631 Pigeon Roost Road, Olive Branch MS 38654, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

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this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in the Mississippi Delta,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Shelby County Vietnam War Memorial (approx. 6½ miles away in Tennessee); First Marine Division Memorial (approx. 6½ miles away in Tennessee); Fort Germantown (approx. 7.2 miles away in Tennessee); Jerry Lee Lewis (approx. 7½ miles away); Oakville Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 7.6 miles away in Tennessee); Raiding the Rails (approx. 7.6 miles away in Tennessee); Nelson-Kirby House (approx. 7.8 miles away in Tennessee); Oaklawn Garden (approx. 7.9 miles away in Tennessee).

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, May 6, 2026

2. East Side High School Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2023, by Nicolas Rausch of Horn Lake, Mississippi. This page has been viewed 585 times since then and 99 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 29, 2023, by Nicolas Rausch of Horn Lake, Mississippi. 2. submitted on May 11, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.