St. Matthews in Calhoun County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
John Ford High School
In 1954, this became the new site of John Ford High School, a segregated high school for African Americans. Previously known as St. Matthews Colored School and located on Herlong Ave., it was renamed for longtime principal John Andrew Ford (1889-1956) in 1949. The campus constructed here was funded by the state equalization program, an effort to preserve segregation by upgrading African American schools.
John Ford High School was an important social center for the Black community in St. Matthews. It remained all-Black until 1970, when a federal judge ordered Calhoun County School District I to desegregate. This campus subsequently became John Ford Middle School, which closed in 2009. In 2014, the facility reopened as the John Ford community Center. Only the gymnasium and shop remain of the original school.
Erected 2020 by South Carolina Department of Archives and History, sponsored by John Ford High School Association and Wecoja Foundation. (Marker Number 9-21.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. In addition, it is included in the
this page online
Location. 33° 40.249′ N, 80° 46.862′ W. Marker is in St. Matthews, South Carolina, in Calhoun County. It is at the intersection of Agnes Street and Buyck Street, on the right when traveling west on Agnes Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 109 Buyck St, Saint Matthews SC 29135, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, in Congaree Country, and specifically in Santee Cooper Country. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in 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 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: West End Public Library (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); "Lest We Forget"
Credits. This page was last revised on January 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 25 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
