Dunbar High School

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, originally Bessemer Colored High School, was a public school for African-American students that operated in Bessemer, Alabama, from 1923 to 1980. When it opened, it served grades 1 through 12. Its first graduating class matriculated in 1927 under principal J. B. Bickerstaff.

In 1928, upon the recommendation of English teacher Pearl Blivens, the institution was renamed in honor of the esteemed Ohio-born poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar. In addition to delivering a robust academic curriculum, the school offered a diverse array of vocational training programs. Among the distinguished faculty was Arthur Shores, a polymath who provided instruction in science, history, civics, and literature. He briefly served as principal before attaining recognition as a prominent civil rights attorney, with his office situated in the historic Colored Masonic Temple in downtown Birmingham.

The school’s distinguished alumni include Paul Raymond Jones, a prolific collector of African American art, and James Boggs, a Marxist political activist. Jackson Solomon Abrams, who served as a principal for many years, passed away in 1959. In recognition of his contributions, a new high school, which was then under construction, was named in his honor.

Closure and Abandonment

The 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education led to an attempt at citywide integration, but the Dunbar High School remained all-black. In 1960, the school was integrated as an elementary and middle school until closing its doors in 1980.

Following this, in 1987, the National Dunbar-Abrams Foundation acquired the facility and underwent a partial renovation to serve as a community center. The former school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The old Dunbar High School is nothing but ruins now, as the entire roof had collapsed some years later.

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