Historical Marker Program
Side 1
Cherokee High School
Cherokee High School began here in 1921 as a grammar school with two teachers in a new frame building. The building was erected by African Americans using a Julius Rosenwald Grant with additional funds from the local community. The county school board agreed to operate the school after it was built. The cost of the school was $2,900 -- $1,200 from the African American community, $800 from the Rosenwald Grant, and $900 from public donations raised through nickel and dime donations, individual church gifts, picnic sales, and ball-game admissions. Some farmers planted and gave an acre of cotton or donated lumber or labor.
Side 2
Cherokee High School
Cherokee was one of seven Rosenwald schools in Colbert County and one of 5,357 such schools, workshops, and teacher homes built in the South. As it grew, more teachers and classrooms were added. Grammar school graduates from Lane Springs, Barton, and Pride attended the school plus additional students from Carter Branch, MS. The first class graduated in 1938 and the last class in 1969. Total graduates exceeded 500. Five principals served the school: Alfred Carter, Amanda Bailey, E.Z. Matthews, C.K. Calloway, and P.B. Reynolds. Due to integration, the school closed and students moved to Cherokee Vocational High School. Later, after renovation, the school reopened as a middle school.
Sponsored by the Cherokee High School Alumni and Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation [2010: ¾ mile east of Main Street & Hwy 20, Cherokee]
Forrest Defeats Streight
May 3, 1863. Here General Forrest with about 500 men forced the surrender of Colonel Streight's army of about 1500 men. The surrender climaxed a series of running battles from Muscle Shoals. This was one of the most brilliant campaigns of General Forrest, master of stratagem.
[Before 1965: Ala. Hwy 9, Lawrence; missing in 2010]
Other Cherokee County pages:
Back to Historical Marker Index
http://www.archives.alabama.gov/aha/markers/cherokee.html
Updated: January 6, 2011
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