Journal Articles

The Dunbar High School Dilemma: Architecture, Power, and African American Cultural Heritage

By Amber N. Wiley |

"For three years in the mid-1970s a highly contested and public debate transpired in Washington, D.C., that centered on the impeding demolition of the vacant 1916 building that formerly housed Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. Dunbar was the institutional successor of the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth, the first public high school established for blacks in the nation. Advocates for demolition, including the school’s administration, many city officials, and members of the Board of Education, were adamant that they had in mind the best interests of students. In lieu of a worn-down structure, students would enjoy a highly innovative and completely modernized school plant. Additionally, students would gain a home football field where the 1916 building once stood. Students and administrators considered the field a much-needed addition to school grounds, as the Dunbar athletics program was garnering nationwide recognition. Demolition opponents—preservationists, local historians, and many alumni—countered by arguing that keeping the historic Dunbar High School would benefit students. Preservation of the building would provide students with a physical reminder of the rich history of their school, an example of black academic excellence in Jim Crow America."

Wiley, Amber N. “The Dunbar High School Dilemma: Architecture, Power, and African American Cultural Heritage.” Buildings & Landscapes Vol 20, No 1 (Spring 2013): 95-128.