McKinley High School Museum Tells Remarkable Story of Black History

Mitchell is a McKinley alumnus and the general manager of the McKinley High School Alumni Center. McKinley is the oldest high school established for Black students in East Baton Rouge Parish. In 1916, four students became the first Black high school graduates in Louisiana. ”It went from Baton Rouge Colored High School in about 1913 to McKinley High School, named after President William McKinley,” said Mitchell.

McKinley moved over the years, but the original 1926 McKinley High School building is where you can find the McKinley High School Museum. The museum consists of memorabilia that has stood the test of time, including year attendance books from the 20′s, report cards from the 50′s, varsity jackets from the 60′s, and much more. Mitchell, who’s a walking encyclopedia of everything McKinley, can tell you stories and the school’s importance to American history. This includes how the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. grabbed the blueprint for the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott at McKinley.

”Martin Luther King when he was figuring out how to put this whole thing together, he came over to meet members of McKinley High School, some of the faculty, some of the professional staff here, and the local ministers,” said Mitchell.

One of McKinley’s most notable moments is the fire in 1998 that nearly destroyed the school’s dreams. The school was eventually restored to what is seen today and is a near perfect replica of its original structure. Mitchell explained why it was so important to keep this building intact and to keep this museum open. ”It means that… a race of people who had to fight for an opportunity to get an education endured, and this place as it currently exists cannot fail,” said Mitchell.