Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts is a public high school in Jacksonville, Florida. With an average of 1200 students, this audition-based school seeks students aiming to improve their talents in performance arts, while still fostering their academic education. By graduation, students would have performance experience and be better prepared for continuing their talent for future careers.

The school was constructed in 1922 but did not become the school it is known as today until 1985. Douglas Anderson School of the Arts holds great importance to the Jacksonville community as the school’s name originates from a local civil rights activist who sought to improve school transportation for African American students during the early 1900s.

To begin with, the story of Jacksonville civil rights activist Douglas Anderson has been described by his granddaughter, Joyce Lawson, who is fortunate to share memories of her grandfather and stories of his impact on the Jacksonville community. Anderson’s story began in 1913 when he started driving his daughter to school and would often see other African American children walking down the same path avoiding reckless drivers on their way to school. With great concern, he began picking them up and driving them to school. Regardless of the distance, Anderson would take several trips to ensure everyone's safety. A few years later, Douglas Anderson was able to get a bus contract from the Duval County school board and could now transport many students at once all throughout their schools in Jacksonville. This was a great change in the Jacksonville community as Anderson's bus service was free transportation and one of the only school bus services for African American students at the time. 

During this time Douglas Anderson School of the Arts was known as The South Jacksonville School and held students from grades 1-9. This school opened in 1922 and was one of Jacksonville’s schools that was primarily for African Americans. Douglas Anderson was even involved in the idea of the school's creation and assisted in the construction of this The South Jacksonville School. Following its opening, Anderson took the role of the president of the school's Parent Teacher Association.

Sadly Douglas Anderson died on December 18, 1936. The Jacksonville community will not forget his passion and hard work in improving the school life for young African Americans. In honor of his death, the school was renamed Douglas Anderson School in 1945. Additionally when visiting the school today, one can find a Civil Rights Memorial Landmark outside the front entrance. This landmark summarizes the school's journey and Douglas Anderson's impact on the Jacksonville community and commemorates his efforts in fighting for this change.

Throughout the mid-50s, Douglas Anderson School went through a series of changes. In 1955, the school included high school grades and was able to have its first graduating senior class in 1959. In the course of desegregation in Duval County, Douglas Anderson School temporarily closed and was used as Florida Junior College’s San Diego campus. By 1971, the school reopened as a seventh-grade center, and a few years later it finally became Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in 1985.

Since 1985, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has been a magnet high school in Jacksonville, Florida. This school is considered a magnet school as it focuses on its performing arts program and only accepts students through auditions. Art areas include visual arts, band, chorus, cinematic arts, creative writing, dance, guitar, orchestra, piano, and performance or technical theater. The school follows the motto, “Where arts and academics meet in excellence,” and hopes to prepare their students in their arts for future education and careers. In recent years, the school has made achievements in having several Grammy recognitions for their music programs and often gives students performance opportunities at outside venues or even at out-of-the-state events.

Civil Rights Memorial Landmarks in Jax. Visit Jacksonville. (n.d.) https://www.visitjacksonville.com/blog/civil-rights-landmarks-in-jacksonville/ 

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts / history. History / History. (n.d.). https://dcps.duvalschools.org/domain/2500 

Delaney, Bill. "Where Did Jacksonville High Schools Get Their Names." The Jaxson Mag, 16 Mar. 2020, www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/where-did-jacksonvilles-high-schools-get-their-names/.

Soergel, M. (2022, February 21). Douglas Anderson's granddaughter tells stories of the man behind the 100-year-old Jacksonville School. The Florida Times-Union. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/history/2022/02/21/jacksonville-douglas-anderson-school-arts-century-history/6704635001/ 

Stepzinski, T. (2012, Mar 31). Douglas Anderson earns Grammy award. McClatchy - Tribune Business News https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/douglas-anderson-earns-grammy-award/docview/962491676/se-2