Spartan Village in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Booker T. Washington High School

Photographed By Brandon D Cross

1. Booker T. Washington High School Marker

Inscription. James T. West High School, one of Virginia’s first accredited public high schools for African-Americans, was renamed in 1917 for Booker T. Washington, educator, author and orator. The school moved to a newly constructed building in 1924 and for decades was Norfolk’s only public high school for black students. Its programs were central to the community. In 1939-1940, faculty members Aline Black and Melvin Alston pursued legal action that led to a federal court decision requiring salary equalization for black and white teachers. In Sept. 1963, students marched to protest poor facilities. Norfolk implemented a desegregation plan in 1970, and the school moved into a new building here in 1974.

Erected 2018 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number KV 30.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Education. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1917.

Location. 36° 51.123′ N, 76° 15.953′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in Spartan Village. Marker is at the intersection of East Virginia Beach Boulevard (U.S. 58) and Park Avenue (James A Clark Avenue)

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(Virginia Route 166), on the right when traveling west on East Virginia Beach Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1111 Park Avenue, Norfolk VA 23504, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. American Cigar Factory (approx. 0.4 miles away); Plummer Bernard Young Sr. (1884-1962) (approx. 0.8 miles away); Attucks Theatre (approx. 0.8 miles away); Hospital of St. Vincent dePaul (approx. 0.8 miles away); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (approx. 0.8 miles away); Evelyn Thomas Butts (approx. 0.8 miles away); St. John’s African Methodist Episcopal Church (approx. 0.9 miles away); Dave Rosenfield (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norfolk.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross

2. Booker T. Washington High School Marker

James T. West High School 1906-1922 image. Click for full size.

Virginia Department of Historic Resources, 1911

3. James T. West High School 1906-1922

Recognized as one of the first African-American High Schools in the South.

Old Booker T. Washington High School 1923-1976 image. Click for full size.

4. Old Booker T. Washington High School 1923-1976

Current Booker T. Washington High School image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross

5. Current Booker T. Washington High School

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 699 times since then and 119 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.