Tyler — What: Emmett J. Scott High School will be honored during the Subject Marker Unveiling Ceremony as part of the North End Reflections Program

When: 10 a.m., Saturday, July 30, 2012

Where: Southeastern corner of M. L. King Jr. Blvd. and Englewood Avenue (1300 Block of

M. L. King Jr. Blvd. and 1900 Block of Englewood Avenue), Tyler, Texas.

North End Reflections Program

In accordance with the Tyler 21 North End Action Plan, in 2009, the City of Tyler launched a three year program to promote Tyler Historic Landmarks and the installation of historic markers and plaques at North End locations that are important to our city’s history, including the history of the African-American community.

The Reflections Program encourages citizens or interested organizations to submit nominations for the designation in the North End as Tyler Historic Landmarks, Tyler Historic Subject Markers or Half Mile of History markers.

The City will be honoring the eighth REFLECTIONS recipient, Emmett J. Scott High School.

Emmett J. Scott High School

The original high school in Tyler for African Americans was established in 1888 in the old West End School building on South Herndon Avenue. It was a four-room structure that housed grades one through ten. The building burned in 1921, which caused school sessions to be held in churches within the city.

A new building was erected in 1923. The location was changed to North Border Avenue since neighbors protested rebuilding the school on South Herndon. The new school building was renamed Emmett Scott Junior High and was used for both elementary and high school grades. When W. A. Peete and T. J. Austin elementary schools were built, the small building formerly used for elementary grades became the Emmett Scott homemaking department.

In 1949, what began as a four-room school with a graduating class of four students became Emmett J. Scott High School on West Lincoln Street (now M. L. King Jr. Boulevard). The school included 26 classrooms, an administrative suite, library, cafeteria, shop, auditorium, gymnasium and band hall.

Emmett J. Scott High School closed in June 1970, through an integration order affecting all Texas public schools.