Roanoke in Randolph County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Randolph County Training School

(1919-1970)

— "The Maroon & Gold Bulldogs" —

Randolph County Training School Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, July 1, 2023

1. Randolph County Training School Marker

Inscription. Randolph County Training School (RCTS) was chartered on September 15, 1919 as a public school for African Americans. It opened in the fall of 1920 with 73 students. The original two-story wood structure was built with contributions from black parents and community leaders and the local white community. The Rosenwald Fund provided seed money for the seven-teacher RCTS, as it did for nearly 5,000 other schools for African Americans in the South between 1912 and 1932. The original building burned in 1943 and was replaced, in 1948, by a masonry building that was still in use when the school was closed by a federal court's desegregation order in 1970. During its 51-year history. the dedicated staff of RCTS provided a solid education to thousands of students in spite of the "separate and unequal" circumstances. The school also was the nucleus of many social, civic, and educational activities in the black community.

Erected 2013 by Alabama Historical Association.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Association series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 15, 1919.

Location. 33° 8.381′ N, 85° 21.738′ W.

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Marker is in Roanoke, Alabama, in Randolph County. It is on Lafayette Highway 0.1 miles north of West Point Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 721 Lafayette Hwy, Roanoke AL 36274, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Alabama. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. 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 original Cherokee Nation,

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 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Clark Funeral Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); First Baptist Church (approx. one mile away); The Martin Theatre (approx. 1.1 miles away); Lebanon Christian Church (approx. 3½ miles away); Pottery Shops in Rock Mills / The Potters of Rock Mills (approx. 4.1 miles away); Pottery-Making Families of Randolph County / Early Pottery Shops of Randolph County (approx. 4.2 miles away); Wehadkee Yarn Mills (approx. 4.4 miles away); First Consolidated High School in the State of Alabama (approx. 8.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roanoke.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Roanoke Doll Factory (was approx. one mile away but has been confirmed missing).

Additional commentary.
1. My Mother, the late Mrs. Hattie Lee Peters Clark during The Randolph County Training School Era
In 1948, after marrying Wilkie Clark, Mrs. Hattie Lee Peters Clark (My Mother) began teaching at the iconic Randolph County Training School. It was here that she left her most indelible mark — shaping

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, July 1, 2023

2. Randolph County Training School Marker

not only minds, but the very culture of Black education in Randolph County. As she rose to the position of Coordinator of the Elementary Department, her influence stretched far beyond her own classroom, setting standards and mentoring young teachers who would follow in her footsteps.

Her colleagues affectionately called her “Pres,” a reflection of both her leadership and the respect she commanded.

We too have a Historic Marker erected at our location, 252 Lafayette Highway, Roanoke, Alabama, that honors the legacy of Mrs. Hattie Lee Peters Clark, and her husband, Civil Rights Leader, Wilkie Clark. Our Historic Marker is less than 2 miles north of the Randolph County Training School site on the same street (Lafayette Highway).

This school was iconic, and there is a much more and richer history about it that can be found at The Randolph County Training School Scholarship Foundation https://www.rctsfoundation.org. To date, they have awarded more than 100 scholarships to graduating seniors who trace their roots back to the historic Randolph County Training School, in Roanoke, Randolph County, Alabama. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor

— Submitted August 18, 2025, by Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson of Roanoke, Alabama, Randolph.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2023, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 811 times since then and 72 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 17, 2023, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.