Johnson Abernathy Graetz High School
History
The school was named after the only-ever president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, in the 1960s, a century after the Confederacy collapsed.
In 2020, the school district's board of education voted to change the school's name from Jefferson Davis High School, a decision that was affirmed in 2022 despite two years of opposition from local pro-Confederacy groups. The school is to be renamed JAG High School, in honor of three civil rights leaders: Frank Minis Johnson, a judge who ruled in favor of Rosa Parks to strike down segregation policies in Montgomery; pastor and activist Ralph Abernathy; and Robert Graetz, a minister who helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Notable alumni
- Travis Bell, professional football nose tackle
- Craig Brazell, former MLB player
- Gwendolyn Boyd, former president of Alabama State University and Delta Sigma Theta sorority; valedictorian in 1973
- Artur Davis, former Democratic Congressman of Alabama
- Ladarius Gunter, former NFL player
- Michael Henig, former college football quarterback
- Glenn Howerton, actor, writer, and producer
- Jamey Johnson, country music singer and songwriter
- Robert Johnson, former NFL player
- Octavia Spencer (1988), actress
- Curtis Stewart, former NFL player
- George Teague, former NFL player
- George Thornton, former NFL player
- Lou Thornton, former MLB player
- Jasmine Walker, NBA player
- Davern Williams, former NFL player
Enrollment, demographics
Enrollment for 2007 was 1,508 students; 48 percent was male and 52 percent was female. Ethnicities enrolled at the school were white, black, and Hispanic. African-American enrollment was 94 percent, white enrollment was 2 percent, Hispanic enrollment was 2 percent, and Asian enrollment was 1%.
References
- ^ "Johnson Abernathy Graetz High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ^ Griesbach, Rebecca (November 16, 2022). "Renaming of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis schools will be first to test Alabama monuments law". AL.com. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Krista (July 14, 2020). "Montgomery school board votes to change the Confederate names of three high schools". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ Bowerman, Ashley (November 10, 2022). "Montgomery school board votes to change the Confederate names of three high schools". WSFA. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ "Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, Alabama (AL)". Retrieved March 10, 2010.
External links