Jefferson County Schools proudly joined the Page-Jackson High School Alumni Association on July 27 to dedicate the new Page-Jackson Tribute Hall. Located at the site of the former Page-Jackson High School at 110 Mordington Avenue, the living history museum celebrates the rich legacy of the first Black high school in Jefferson County. The dedication ceremony provided a heartfelt tribute to the school's lasting impact on the community, honoring the educators and students who once walked its halls.
A Rich Legacy
Page-Jackson High School has a significant place in Jefferson County's history. The school was established in 1938 after the high school program ended at Storer College. Initially, it operated at Eagle Avenue Elementary, with a separate building added in 1942 specifically for Black high school students. That same year, the school was renamed Page-Jackson High School, in honor of two dedicated educators, Littleton L. Page and Philip Jackson.
In 1951, the school relocated to a new location on Mordington Avenue, just two years before the landmark Supreme Court ruling that ended segregation in schools. Though it closed just 11 years later, its impact endures as the building now houses the Jefferson County Board of Education. The new Page-Jackson Tribute Hall honors the legacy of the school and its community, celebrating the friendships, memories, and opportunities created within its walls.
A Ceremony of Reflection and Gratitude
The July 27 dedication ceremony was a touching event filled with pride and remembrance. JCS Superintendent Chuck Bishop expressed his honor in unveiling a space that pays tribute to the former Page-Jackson Spartans. He acknowledged the efforts of his predecessor, Dr. Bondy Shay Gibson-Learn, who initiated the project and was there to celebrate its completion. Dr. Bishop also expressed his gratitude to Joyce White, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, the Page-Jackson High School Alumni Association, the JCS maintenance team, and partners ZMM Architects and Hersick & Webster Creative Partners for the roles they played.
"Projects like this don't happen by chance," Bishop noted. "It's been a collaborative effort to make this happen."
Following Dr. Bishop's remarks, Tanya Dallas delivered a powerful rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often referred to as the Black national anthem. The performance visibly moved the audience and set a reflective tone for the event.
Emotions also ran high as Pastor Alice Hunter, a former student of Page-Jackson High School, offered a blessing for the new tribute hall. Holding her sister's 1960 yearbook for inspiration, she celebrated the school's history and its educational leaders who helped empower current and future generations of Black students and teachers. Hunter attended Page-Jackson High School as a student before desegregation and was among those who later graduated from an integrated high school.
Joyce White, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, expressed her excitement about the project's importance and her deep satisfaction in working on it. White said she felt privileged to collaborate with the Page-Jackson alumni who generously shared their stories and artifacts, enriching the tribute hall with cherished memories.
"This space honors and respects the memories and the people who walked these halls before us," she said. "It is a great honor just to walk the halls here at 110 Mordington Avenue because they're rich and full of history."
White concluded her remarks by saying, "Today let's be reminded of how far we've come in education and how much further we'll travel together."
Members of the Jefferson County Board of Education also attended the event, with board member Donna Joy saying she was moved to tears.
“It was amazing. Very profound. I couldn't hold back tears. When Pastor Alice talked about hearing the voices from the past, I could feel it and envision what it was like here. It was just a very special event."
President Kathy Skinner agreed, saying, “We were honored to have had the opportunity as a Board to prioritize this project and include it in the bond. Acknowledging our history is the first step in getting where we are going in the future, and I thank all our community and partners for their efforts on this project.”
A Living History
Delores Foster, president of the Page-Jackson High School Alumni Association, shared that the new tribute hall beautifully surpassed the vision she and her fellow alumni had dreamed of, touching their hearts deeply. She said the space holds the voices of the past, ready to inspire and guide future generations who enter it.
"This room says exactly what we wanted it to say," Foster enthused. "It speaks. If you stay silent, you can hear the voices. You can hear the history in this room.”
Foster then proudly joined her fellow alumni in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially dedicate the space.
Community Involvement and Future Access
The Page-Jackson Tribute Hall was made possible by a bond measure approved and voted on by Jefferson County citizens. This measure provided the necessary funds to develop, acquire, design, construct, equip, furnish, and improve various JCS operational facilities, including the space that now houses the tribute hall. The project was completed on time and within budget, showcasing the community's commitment to preserving its history.
The Page-Jackson Tribute Hall is open to the public during regular JCS business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to call 304-725-9741 before visiting to ensure the best experience.
The dedication of the Page-Jackson Tribute Hall offered a celebration of a rich history that continues to inspire and guide future generations. As Foster noted, it is a testament to the enduring spirit of the Page-Jackson High School community and its profound impact on Jefferson County.
"This room is no longer a room. It has become living history," she said. "And we dedicate it to those who were here before us, those who are present with us, and those who will come after us, who will walk into this space and hear the voices that came before them."
A Time of Remembrance
The nostalgia was in full effect as many Page-Jackson High School alumni gathered at the dedication event to reflect on their memories and share their thoughts on the newly dedicated tribute hall. Their heartfelt words offer a glimpse into the lasting influence of the school and the deep meaning of this new space. Here’s what they had to say in their own words.
"It's really been exciting to see this from start to finish. It brought tears to my eyes. It's truly been a blessing. And it's been wonderful being back in the building. So many changes, but it still looks familiar. It still looks like Page-Jackson.
Barbara Smith '56, Page-Jackson High School Alumni Association
"I saw so many classmates and teachers on the wall [of the tribute hall]! I think that space is close to where my homeroom was with Mrs. Flemming. And I remember some of the teachers I had at Eagle Avenue from first through fifth grade before I came to Page-Jackson. I remember Ms. Elsie Clinton and my favorite, Ms. Annie Watkins. She ran a little candy store. And I was in her room and she would let me take her money down to the office, and I was really proud of that every day."
Sylvia Robinson-Young '55
"I remember being in the band and playing tenor sax in the Apple Blossom Parade in Winchester. I learned to play by listening to records. And I remember you could go home [from school] for lunch!
Grafton Blue '56 (Blue flew in from California to attend the event with his daughters, Daniella Hawthorne and Octavia Puryear. He met his future wife, Pauline Campbell, at PJHS.)
"I saw my mom's picture on the wall! She was the head cheerleader, a member of the Student Council, and a drum majorette for the band. It brought back so many memories!"
Daniella Hawthorne, daughter of Grafton Blue '56 and the late Pauline Campbell '56
"It brings back a lot of memories! Being in the school and the tribute hall, it all brings back memories. I'm very happy to be back and reminisce about the good old days."
Gloria Russ Walker Baylor '61