Martin Luther King High School (Detroit)

Martin Luther King High School
Address
3200 East Lafayette Boulevard
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates 42°20′38″N 83°00′57″W / 42.34389°N 83.01583°W / 42.34389; -83.01583Coordinates: 42°20′38″N 83°00′57″W / 42.34389°N 83.01583°W / 42.34389; -83.01583
Information
School type Examination School of Choice
School district Detroit Public Schools
Principal Deborah Jenkins
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 1,338
Language English
Area Urban
Color(s) gold and black
Mascot Crusaders
Rival Cass Technical High School

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School is located at 3200 East Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan; the building is operated by the Detroit Board of Education. King's district encompasses Downtown and Midtown Detroit; it also includes Lafayette Park, the Martin Luther King Apartments and Riverfront Condominiums. The Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects were zoned to MLK prior to their demolition.[1] In addition it includes the three Wayne State University housing complexes that permit families with children (Chatsworth Tower, DeRoy, and University Tower).[1][2][3]

History: 1901-1969

The facility that came to be known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School was originally constructed as Eastern High School. EHS opened in 1901, with three teachers and 300 students, at the intersection of Mack Avenue and East Grand Boulevard.

Throughout its history, Eastern High was an interscholastic sports juggernaut – particularly during the 1960s. Eastern High was always a contender in football, but it was only in 1953 when they outright won the championship and went on to play the West Side in the Goodfellow Game. In addition to producing several outstanding athletes in track and swimming, the Eastern Indians won four consecutive Detroit City League men's basketball titles (1959–62).[4]

In September 1967, Eastern High School relocated to 3200 East Lafayette Boulevard; bordering historic Elmwood Cemetery, within walking distance of Detroit's central business district. In September 1968, Eastern was renamed as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School; the official school colors were changed from orange and black, to gold and black; the school logo/mascot was changed from an American Indian, to the Crusaders.[5]

History: Since 1969

The Crusader women's basketball program has enjoyed tremendous success. Over the past twenty-six seasons, King High School – coached by William Winfield – has appeared in eleven Michigan High School Athletic Association championship finals – winning on five occasions; in 1985, 90, 91, 2003 and 2006.[6]

In 2006, ML King Jr. High School won the Detroit City League championship trophy in men's swimming and diving.

In 2007, the King Crusaders, coached by Jim Reynolds, became the first team from the Detroit Public Secondary Schools Athletic League to win a MHSAA Football Championship.[7]

During 2008, King High School's marching band raised over 300,000 dollars (including sponsorship from U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton) to perform at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

One of the largest components of the 2009 Detroit Public Schools' $500.5 million-dollar bond construction program was the MLK Project. At a cost of $46.4 million, the redeveloped Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School re-opened in September 2011. The school emphasizes a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Curriculum.

In 2012 Kettering High School closed, and some students were rezoned to King.[8] In 2017, King was marked for closure by the State of Michigan due to its poor academic performance from 2014 to 2016.[9] A later agreement between the state and the Detroit Board of Education saved the school from closure.[10]

Notable alumni

  • Coleman A. Young (1934) first served in State House of Representatives, later becoming a Michigan State Senator; popular Mayor of Detroit from 1974 to 1994, the first African-American; outspoken person who lobbied at all levels for City of Detroit
  • Bernard Lucas (1935) one of nation’s best interscholastic high jumpers during 1930s; won three events for Eastern at 1934 Detroit (DPSSAL) Championships: high jump (6-4.75); long jump (21-8), and 120-yard high hurdles (:16.0); was named 1934 Michigan High School Track and Field Athlete of the Year[11]
  • Helen Thomas, journalist.
  • Joe Altobelli (1950) versatile, All-City basketball, football and baseball player for Eastern Indians; he enjoyed several successful seasons of Major League Baseball as a player and as manager of 1983 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles.[12][13]
  • Harold Dukes (1953) All-city football and basketball star, later played for Michigan State University Spartans and then NFL's San Francisco 49ers
  • Edward Deeb (1954) business and community leader who was CEO, Chairman and founder of Michigan Business and Professional Association and of Michigan Food and Beverage Association, state's largest trade associations; founder of Metro Detroit Youth Day, which hosts more than 35,000 youngsters each year on Belle Isle's athletic field; also founded of Eastern Market Merchants Association and Eastern Market Corporation
  • Joe Girard author, speaker and "The World's Greatest Salesman" as recognized by Guinness Book of World Records
  • Reggie Harding (1961) first-team Parade Magazine All-American in 1961; led Eastern to three consecutive Detroit Public School League basketball championships; three-time All-State selection, drafted out of high school by Detroit Pistons; played four seasons in NBA[14][15]
  • Dr. Arthur Carter III (1962) became active in politics at early age, received BA, MA, and PhD from Wayne State University, member of Wayne County Board of Commissioners, former Dean at Wayne County Community College, and deputy superintendent of Detroit Public Schools
  • James MacMillan (1962) one of fastest high school swimmers in United States during early 1960s; at 1962 MHSAA Championships he took first place for Eastern in both 50 and 100 yard freestyle; winning times still stand as DPSSAL records; later nine-time NCAA All-American for Michigan State University (1964–66); competed in 100 and 200 meter freestyle at 1968 US Olympic Trials[16][17][18]
  • Emanuel Steward (1962) boxing legend who trained world champions such as Tommy (Hitman) Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Lennox Lewis and others; inductee in International Boxing Hall of Fame; was dedicated to changing lives of young men and women through sport
  • Bill Yearby (1962) won shot put event at 1962 MHSAA Track and Field Finals[19] Upon graduation from EHS, Yearby became an All-American football player at the University of Michigan; he also performed professionally with the New York Jets.[20]
  • Lou Scott (1963) one of America's top distance runners during 1960s; won Michigan Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors in 1962 and 1963; competed for Arizona State University; won silver medal in 5000 meter run Pan American Games in 1967; ollowing year, by virtue of his third-place finish at Olympic Trials, competed in 5000 at 1968 Summer Olympics[21]
  • Stanley Allen (1965) another of Eastern's state track and field champions; took first place in high jump at 1965 MHSAA finals[22]
  • John "Frenchy" Fuqua (1965) achieved collegiate football stardom as running back for Morgan State University, then played eight rewarding seasons with NFL's New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers; while with the Steelers, Fuqua become part of NFL lore as intended receiver for quarterback Terry Bradshaw's pass that sports historians refer to as the Immaculate Reception[23]
  • Walter Davis (1967) twice city champion in pole vault event; his winning height of 13-7 at 1967 DPSSAL Track & Field Championships still stands as public school league record[24]
  • Ron LeFlore, Major League Baseball player for Detroit Tigers, two-time stolen-base champion zin 1978 and 1980; did not play baseball for high school or graduate[25][26]
  • George Gervin (1970) a.k.a. "The Iceman", former professional basketball player and esteemed member of Basketball Hall of Fame; in 1997, was voted one of NBA's 50 Greatest Players[27][28][29]
  • Rod Hill (1977) another in long line of King High's gridiron greats; played collegiate football for Kentucky State University; selected in first round of 1983 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys; played 11 professional seasons, six in NFL and five with Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League[30]
  • Kerwin Moore (1989) former MLB player (Oakland Athletics)
  • Kelton Graham (1993) ended 17-year drought for DPSSAL male athletes when he swam in finals at 1993 MHSAA championships; he placed sixth in 100-yard breaststroke; later coached Ann Arbor-Huron High School Boys' Swimming and Diving program to MHSAA team title in 2008; was also 2009 MHSAA team runner-up; named 2008 Michigan Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Coaches Association Coach of the Year.[31][32][33]
  • Kevin B. Jackson (2008), MHSAA silver medalist (men's high jump); DPSSAL Championship record holder (2.03 m); 2008 MHSAA top-ranked performer (2.08 m)[34][35]
  • Nick Perry (2008), linebacker for NFL's Green Bay Packers; played collegiately at USC

References and notes

  1. 1 2 "High School Boundary Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on October 2, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Community Living Guide Apartments 2011 Archived 2012-12-24 at the Wayback Machine.." Wayne State University. 12. Retrieved on October 2, 2011. DeRoy, University Tower, and Chatsworth Tower unfurnished apartments are approved for family housing."
  3. ↑ "Contact Us General Office of Housing & Residential Life." Wayne State University. Retrieved on October 2, 2011. "Chatsworth Tower 630 Merrick Detroit, MI 48202" and "Helen L. DeRoy Apartments 5200 Anthony Wayne Drive Detroit, MI 48202" and "University Tower Apartments 4500 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201"
  4. ↑ http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=18
  5. ↑ http://www.detroitk12.org/schools/
  6. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/index.htm
  7. ↑ http://michigan-football.com/f/totalfb.htm
  8. ↑ "4.-Kettering-High-School-Kettering-West-Wing.pdf." (Archive) Detroit Public Schools. p. 2. Retrieved on November 1, 2012. "Fisher Building – 14th Floor 3011 W. Grand Boulevard Detroit, MI 48202-2710"
  9. ↑ Higgins, Lori (January 20, 2017). "In 2018, 35 more Michigan schools could face closure". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  10. ↑ Higgins, Lori (April 27, 2017). "Agreement saves Detroit schools from forced closure by state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  12. ↑ http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=41
  13. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=019z2vcdBhUC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=Joe+Altobelli+eastern+high+school&source=bl&ots=6RB9LTBVq0&sig=qfMutGSfiKSk0WwxVeQEq2jdUBo&hl=en&ei=hwdhSvKHB6CQmAeZpsinDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2
  14. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/games/sports/bbb/psl.pdf
  15. ↑ http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=8
  16. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/bsw/yearlyindv.html
  17. ↑ http://msuspartans.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/msu/sports/c-swim/auto_pdf/08mediaguide-section6
  18. ↑ http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/_Rainbow/Documents/d800183c-a4f6-453c-91d1-b8699c22f2b3/1968.pdf
  19. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/btr/yearlyindv1960.html
  20. ↑ https://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.newyorkjets.com/image_assets/1113/yearby_bill.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/all_time/player/844-bill-yearby&usg=__8E2T-7jmIJS-PDqPdfKaT_b43mg=&h=139&w=135&sz=6&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=LkBVLBkNaJ8L_M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBill%2BYearby%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_enUS250US250%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
  21. ↑ http://www.michtrack.org/whatever.htm#SCOTT Archived 2009-05-12 at the Wayback Machine.
  22. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/BoysTrackField/IndividualChampions/1960s.aspx
  23. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  24. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-21. Retrieved 2010-09-29.
  25. ↑ Archived 2015-01-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  26. ↑
  27. ↑ George Gervin
  28. ↑ http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=141
  29. ↑ http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=95
  30. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  31. ↑ http://www.miscaonline.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=DRwWWRS8yUI%3d&tabid=76
  32. ↑ http://www.mhsaa.com/Sports/BoysSwimmingandDiving/TeamChampions.aspx
  33. ↑ Aquademics
  34. ↑ http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/c-track/mtt/jackson_kevin00.html
  35. ↑ http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/Athlete.aspx?AID=663532
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.