North Courtland in Lawrence County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

Frank and Annie Lee Davis House and School

Lawrence County

Photographed by Deborah Spencer, June 28, 2025

1. Frank and Annie Lee Davis House and School Marker

Inscription. Local farmer Frank Davis and his wife, Annie Lee, offered their house as a classroom space for African American students after a devastating fire destroyed the North Alabama Baptist Academy building in 1928. Located in a part of town once known as "The Hill," the house was used as a school until the late 1940s when Principal Richard A. Hubbard, with community assistance, purchased nearby land and decommissioned Army barracks from the airfield in Courtland to house the school. The Davis family allowed students at the school, known then as Courtland Colored High School, to grow vegetables and raise chickens on the property as part of Tuskegee Institute's New Farmers of America program, and continued to board teachers in their home until the early 1970s. The Davis family's support for education in the African American community in North Courtland and the surrounding area cannot be understated. Many graduates of the school achieved degrees in higher education and careers in education, industry, or military service. Through their personal sacrifice and financial support, the Davis family helped the community overcome systemic

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inequality and segregation to ensure educational opportunities for the children of North Courtland.

Listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on March 18, 2021

Erected 2022 by Larry Wayne Stevenson and Alabama Historical Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. A significant historical date for this entry is March 18, 2021.

Location. 34° 40.602′ N, 87° 18.541′ W. Marker is in North Courtland, Alabama, in Lawrence County. It is at the intersection of Jessie Jackson Parkway (County Road 150) and Davis Street, on the right when traveling south on Jessie Jackson Parkway. Marker is on the SW Corner of Jessie Jackson Parkway and Davis Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Courtland AL 35618, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North 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

Photographed by Deborah Spencer, June 28, 2025

2. Frank and Annie Lee Davis House and School Marker

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 walking distance of this marker: Courtland Colored School / Central High School / R.A. Hubbard School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Courtland Cemetery (approx. 0.4 miles away); McMahon House (approx. 0.6 miles away); Courtland Presbyterian Church (approx. 0.6 miles away); Harris-Simpson Home (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Town of Courtland / Early Settlers (approx. 0.7 miles away); Courtland's Early Architecture (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Red Rovers / Red Rovers Roster (approx. 0.7 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on July 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 6, 2025, by Deborah Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama. This page has been viewed 194 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 6, 2025, by Deborah Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.