Opelika in Lee County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
J.W. Darden High School
Lee County
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 4, 2025
1. J.W. Darden High School Marker
Founded in 1951, J.W. Darden served as Opelika's African American high school until integration in 1972. The school's namesake, Dr. John Wesley Darden, was the first African American doctor in Lee County. The school fostered pride and served as the main focal point of the African American community despite funding disparities. In 1968, the city school hoard approved and began construction of a $350,000 remodeling project at the school, in an attempt to appease local African Americans and maintain Opelika's segregated school system. The Department of Justice halted the renovation project, stating it was in defiance of Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1970, to delay orders for total integration, the school board referred to Darden as a vocational school and renamed it Opelika High School-Southside Campus. Most of the Black student body remained at the Southside Campus until 1972, when the school board complied with the court integration order and closed the Southside Campus. The building now houses Darden Head Start, honoring Dr. Dardens legacy and the many educators who helped prepare Opelika's African American students to become productive citizens. And to thee, dear Darden High School, we will always loyal be.
Erected 2025 by City of Opelika and Alabama Historical Commission
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1951.
Location. 32° 38.779′ N, 85° 22.15′ W. Marker is in Opelika, Alabama, in Lee County. It is on South 4th Street south of Avenue E, on the left when traveling south. The marker is located at the former J.W. Darden High School site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 601 South 4th Street, Opelika AL 36801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Alabama and in Greater Columbus. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. 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 walking distance of this marker: Former Site of J. W. Darden High School (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Thompson Chapel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Barbara H. Patton (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Barbara H. Patton Southside Center for the Arts (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lee County Confederate Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); First Baptist Church (approx. half a mile away); George W. Andrews Federal Building and United States Courthouse (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Opelika.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 4, 2025
2. J.W. Darden High School Marker
Also see . . . The life, legacy and impact of Opelikas Dr. John Darden (Opelika Observer).
(By By Ann Cipperly, 1/29/2019) Excerpt: Born in 1876 in Wilson, North Carolina, John Wesley Darden was the eldest of 13 children. At 13 years old, John decided to become a medical doctor when he was unable to find a physician for his unconscious sister. While she survived, John never forgot the experience and had a driving determination to become a physician. When John was 13, his parents sent him to high school in Salisbury, North Carolina, where he worked his way through Livingstone College (now Shaw University), and received a medical internship in Long Island, New York.(Submitted on October 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Since his hometown already had black medical service, John began searching for a place where his services were needed. A college friend, who was a physician in Tuskegee, recommended the small town of Opelika. Dr. Darden moved to Opelika in 1903 and became the first black physician in a 30-mile radius and began working 18-hour days. As Dr. John Darden began a long day of calling on patients in the early 1900s, he traveled along dusty, dirt roads throughout Opelika and the countryside. As Darden became older, he began treating patients in his home. In1944 he moved a large part of his practice to the house. He practiced for two years at his house until his death Jan. 10, 1949.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 4, 20253. J.W. Darden High School MarkerLooking northeast from South 4th Street. The marker is located at the former J.W. Darden High School site. Today this building houses the Darden Head Start program.
When the new black high school opened in Opelika in 1951, it was named in his honor. The school merged with Opelika High School in 1971.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 8, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 108 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 10, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
