Fred Douglass School
Sherman, Grayson County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Named for the famed 19th century African American orator Frederick Douglass, the Fred Douglass School was created as one of Sherman's first three public schools in 1879. Two houses one block west of this site were rented for the education of the area's African American children. In the first years of the Fred Douglass School the number of students was about 85. By 1907 the school's population was 350. Fire plagued the Fred Douglass School: in 1904 and again in 1919 the wood buildings were destroyed. In 1920 a three-story brick structure was erected at the corner of college and East streets. The school grew rapidly and by 1939 plans for expansion were necessary. In 1943, educational improvements began to take place. More faculty members had advanced degrees and the curriculum was expanded to include African American history, business and vocational courses. A National Honor Society chapter was formed, and the sports program was expanded. A modern building was erected in 1957; ten years later, the school district became fully integrated, and the Fred Douglass School became the district's special education facility. In the late 20th century it remained the center for a variety of programs for all Sherman students. (1997)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Established in 1879 as one of Sherman's first three public schools and named for the great abolitionist orator Frederick Douglass, this school educated the city's African American children—first in two rented houses, then in successive buildings repeatedly rebuilt after fires. Enrollment grew from about 85 students to 350 by 1907, and by the 1940s the curriculum had expanded to include African American history and vocational courses. After Sherman's schools fully integrated in 1967, the building became the district's special education facility.
Why it matters
The Fred Douglass School embodies both the resilience of Black education under segregation and the long arc toward integration at the heart of the American civil rights story.
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Related people
- · Frederick Douglass
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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