Memphis' Booker T. Washington High School

 The Booker T. Washington High School of Memphis made headlines back in 2011 when President Barack Obama gave the commencement speech to congratulate the school on raising achievement scores and graduation rates.  The school is located in the historic African American neighborhood along Lauderdale, near the Foote Homes.  I spied the striking Art Deco style building with its dramatic geometric design, and the rounded entrances that face the corner of two streets at the angled intersection of the neighborhood.  

 

While I can find information about the structure that stood on the spot earlier, and the history of the school that would become Booker T. Washington, I cannot yet locate specifics as to when this building was constructed.

 The historic arch from the new building, constructed in 1926, fronts the new school.  The BTW high school was originally founded as Clay Street School in 1873 and was among the first public high schools for African Americans in Memphis.  It was renamed Kortrecht High School in 1891.  Kortrecht built a new high school on the present location in 1926 and named it in honor of Booker T. Washington.

The website of the school is inspirational, and I particularly liked one of the school's core "Beliefs":

Given a safe, supportive and challenging environment, students will be able to accept shared responsibility for their own academic achievement.