Booker T. Washington High School (Community Center)

Booker T. Washington High School was built for African American secondary school students during the time of segregation. The brand-new school was opened to African American students in 1927 and continued to educate them until 1969. [2]

After desegregation, Rocky Mount Senior High School, once the school for white students, became, for a time, Rocky Mount’s only high school. The school colors of both schools (royal blue and gold for Booker T. and Black and gold from RMSH) were combined to create new representative colors symbolize the union of both groups. Similarly, the mascots of both schools, the lions and the Blackbirds, were combined to represent the union of the two schools. The result was the gryphon – half bird, half lion. These choices were made by the students. To this day, Rocky Mount High School’s mascot is the Gryphon/Griffin and their colors are navy blue and gold. [2]

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was invited to Rocky Mount, NC by Reverend George Dudley of Mt. Zion First Baptist Church on behalf of the Voters and Improvement League. Dr. King accepted Reverend Dudley’s invitation. In November of 1962, Dr. King arrived in Rocky Mount. In the gymnasium of Booker T. Washington High School, he delivered his “I have a dream” speech for the first time. In the following year, Dr. King went to Washington where he delivered his speech again – this time to the nation. [1]

W. Jason Miller, English professor at N.C. State University re-discovered an "old reel-to-reel" tape of King's "I have a dream" speech. He found it in a Rocky Mount public library. Upon finding this historical gem, Miller had it restored, greatly improving the sound quality, by a professional archivist in Philadelphia. [1]

A historic marker dedicated to Dr. King’s 1962 speech is located in walking distance from Booker T. Washington Community Center. It is also located on this tour.

Booker T. Washington High School is still standing today – it is now Booker T. Washington Community Center.

[1] Kotch, Alex. Dr. King's 'I Have A Dream' speech was born in North Carolina, Facing South. August 12th 2015. Accessed December 15th 2020. https://www.facingsouth.org/2015/08/dr-kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-was-born-in-north-c.html.

[2] Murray, Ernie. History, Rocky Mount High. Accessed December 10th 2020. https://rockymounths.ncpschools.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1713906&type=d&pREC_ID=1949168.