High Point in Guilford County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

High Point Normal and Industrial Institute

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 2, 2023

1. High Point Normal and Industrial Institute Marker

Inscription. In 1891, the New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) moved their Normal School from Asheboro, North Carolina to High Point, North Carolina. High Point Normal and Industrial Institute was a private, co-educational day and boarding school for African-American students. In 1923, the school became a part of the High Point City School System. The name was later changed to William Penn High School. In 2003, the school became a visual and performing arts magnet school. The name was changed to William Penn - Alfred J. Griffin School for the Arts.

Erected 2011 by High Point Normal and Industrial Institute • Hayden-Harman Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1891.

Location. 35° 57.728′ N, 79° 59.779′ W. Marker is in High Point, North Carolina, in Guilford County. It is at the intersection of Washington Street and Day Place, on the left when traveling east on Washington Street. Marker is in front of William Penn-Alfred J. Griffin School for the Arts. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 825 Washington St, High Point NC 27260, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont

and specifically in Piedmont Triad.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

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 original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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walking distance of this marker: John Coltrane (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Baptist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Washington Street Historic District (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Mahler Family Promenade (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named John Coltrane (approx. 0.6 miles away); a different marker also named John Coltrane (approx. 0.6 miles away); Confederate Soldiers Monument (approx. 0.6 miles away); Oakwood Memorial Cemetery “Colored Section” (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in High Point.

Also see . . .
1. A Legacy of Excellence in Education: High Point Normal and Industrial Institute. Friends and others in High Point, North Carolina, were urging New York Yearly Meeting to move the school to High Point, a town with 3,000 inhabitants, much larger than Asheboro. High Point also had a much larger African American population, and it was on the main railroad line. (Willard Linda, Friends Journal, Feb. 1, 2011) (Submitted on October 6, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. High Point Normal and Industrial School: 1891 to 1927. The first schools for black students in High Point opened in 1868 with the aid of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and those that remained open did so through a combination of philanthropy,

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 2, 2023

2. High Point Normal and Industrial Institute Marker

the contributions of black families, and a small amount of state funding. The city’s first high school for blacks opened in 1892, when the New York Meeting of the Society of Friends (better known as the Quakers) moved their school from Asheboro into the building known as Solomon Blair’s school. (The William Penn Project) (Submitted on October 16, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Solomon Blair's School image. Click for full size.

via The William Penn Project (Public Domain)

3. Solomon Blair's School

It was the home of the High Point Normal and Industrial Institute for its first four years.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 6, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 379 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 6, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on October 16, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.