Parker High School
A. H. Parker High School is a secondary school in Birmingham named after A. H. Parker, a long-time Birmingham educator, and located at 900 4th Street North in the Smithfield Community. The school was first named Negro High School and later became Industrial High School before being named in Parker's honor.
History
The school first opened as a high school for black children in the fall of 1900 with its freshmen class of 19 students and one teacher, Mr. Parker. The school's first graduation was June 3, 1904 at the 16th Street Baptist Church, where 15 students received diplomas. By then Parker had become the school's principal.
In September 1910 the school moved to a new location called the Lane Auditorium and began offering skills for women such as sewing, knitting, and child care. By that time the enrollment was about 100 students. In 1920 the negotiations for the final location for the school were done. In spring of 1923 construction of a new building began. By 1929 the school had an industrial building, a library and a gymnasium.
In 1937 the school had an enrollment of over 2,700. In 1939, Parker retired as principal and the school was subsequently renamed A. H. Parker High School in his honor.
The school continued to grow steadily to 3,761 students in 1946. Because of that large number, the school soon became known as the largest high school for Negroes in the world. In 1953, the school was accredited by the Southern Association of College, an accreditation it has kept ever since.
Today
Parker is known as the first African-American high school in Birmingham and still carries its legacy.
Constuction of a new Parker High School gym was completed in 2006.
Notable alumni
References
- Parker, A. H. (1933) A Dream That Came True: Autobiography of Arthur Harold Parker. Birmingham: Industrial High School Press. - accessed through the Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections on January 4, 2007.
- Camp, Mrs. Claudette, John T. Cargill, Jr., and Zackary Sims. A. H. Parker History Page. A. H. Parker High School United Alumni Association. Accessed January 5, 2007.