Douglass High School

Douglass High School

In the fall of 1925, Douglass High School was open to only African-American high school students from the St. Louis County area.  In 1932, Douglass High was the first to accredit African-American students by the State and to gain membership in the prestigious North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Douglass High School educated African-American students from across St. Louis County.

The first principal of Doulgass was Mr. Herbert Davis (1925-1929), who established an academic program, athletic teams and clubs and organizations on a par with the best white high schools across the region. H.B. Goins, Principal of Douglass High School from 1929-1956, had the intent on making the high school one of the top schools in the country. He hired an excellent faculty whose goal was to train outstanding leaders and followers. He formulated the concept of “Douglass Pride.”

Academics Included English, Latin, French, Spanish, mathematics, physical education, social studies, geography, biology, physics, chemistry, manual arts training, home economics, art and music.

Clubs and Organizations Included English Honors Club, Student Government, The Oracle – yearbook, Junior Red Cross, Hi-Y, Girls Reserves, Etiquette Club, Drama Club, Home Economics Club, Human Relations Club, Teenage Book Club, Leaders Club, and National Honor Society.

Athletics Included football, basketball, baseball, track, softball

The Douglass High School was the first African-American high school to play before the Suburban Music Education Association. The high school band and choir won honors at music festivals across the region and the state.

Find more about Douglass High School and North Webster by visiting these links below.

Tribute to Douglass High School https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6mJ0yaZ5_8

Douglass School | Living St. Louis https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=333139331411057

The Historical Marker Database – Douglass School https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=191862

North Webster: An African American community that thrived on its own https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/north-webster-african-american-heritage/63-da9b26d2-5f33-4c37-97c3-4a2386e0c352

North Webster: A Photographic History of a Black Community by Ann Morris and Henrietta Ambrose
https://firstchurchwg.org/reflections/north-webster-photographic-history-black-community-ann-morris-henrietta-ambrose/