Harriet Tubman School
Address
8045 Harriet Tubman Lane

Columbia
,
Maryland
Coordinates39°11′N 76°52′W / 39.19°N 76.87°W / 39.19; -76.87
Information
TypePublic, segregated
Founded1949
Closed1965
School districtHoward County Public School System
Last updated: 31 December 2017

Harriet Tubman School was a segregated public school in Columbia, Maryland, operating from 1949 to 1965. It was part of Howard County Public School System.

History

Harriet Tubman School was the last operating segregated school in the Howard County Public School System. The historic building has been re-purposed for use by the school system for maintenance offices.

Howard County's first classes for African American children beyond 7th grade was held in Cooksville in 1937. The four room school house expanded to 11 grade levels by 1939 to become the county's sole school offering high school level classes. The Harriet Tubman school, in Simpsonville, was established as the first dedicated high school for African Americans in 1948 with the first graduating class in 1952. In July 1953, an addition designed by Francis J Thurman was built by Aetna Construction Company for $67,944 (~$596,532 in 2022) increasing the size of the school to 26,000 square feet (2,400 m2).[1] In 1956, a $50,000 (~$414,326 in 2022) shop building was approved while the school board was under scrutiny for delaying integration of Howard County Schools after the supreme court ruling.[2] Harriet Tubman operated for 16 years as a segregated school and was closed rather than integrated.[3] The school closed in 1965.[4] An all new school known as Atholton High was championed to be built on the same property by local residents rather than integrate white students into the Harriet Tubman School. The Rouse Company had recently bought land adjacent to the school and planned to sell back 20 acres (8.1 ha) at cost to the school board.[5] In July 1964, Tom Harris of the planning commission presented a recommendation from Loren Murray of Johannes & Murray to pass on any additions to the Harriet Tubman school and buy the adjoining 10 acres (4.0 ha) for $12,000 (~$86,978 in 2022) from Columbia Research and Development to build an all new high school.[6]

A public effort has been underway since the early 2000s to turn over the building for a Cultural Center. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Alice Cornelison; Silas E. Craft Sr.; Lillie Price. History of Blacks In Howard County. p. 126.
  2. ↑ Alice Cornelison; Silas E. Craft Sr.; Lillie Price. History of Blacks In Howard County. p. 136.
  3. ↑ Alice Cornelison; Silas E. Craft Sr.; Lillie Price. History of Blacks In Howard County. p. 214.
  4. ↑ Magill, Kate (September 13, 2017). "Harriet Tubman Day marks milestone for former school". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "CRD memo 27 December 1963". Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "July 1964 Minutes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  7. ↑ Amanda Yeager (18 February 2015). "Renewed focus on Howard's last black high school as 50th anniversary of closing nears". The Baltimore Sun.
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