Hannibal African American Public Education Timeline 1853 - 1959
Rev. Oliver Webb led construction of a one-room
private school built in the rear of 8th and Center
Street Baptist Church; school attended by both
black and white children and adults. Rev. Thomas
Henderson was the first principal/teacher
Blanche Kelso Bruce became a
Douglass School teacher; later
became first full-term Negro US
senator representing the state of
Mississippi
1853
1860
After numerous appeals from
Negro parents, Mrs. A. Weatherbee
becomes the first Negro teacher
at Douglassville School
Pelham responsible for growth of
Douglassville School and change
school name to Douglass School in
honor of Frederick Douglass, early
civil rights leader
Some Negroes, reluctant to attend
Douglassville School with its white
administration, pay the $1.00 annual fee
to continue their education at the 8th
and Center Street Church school
As a result of new segregation laws,
Hannibal Public School System builds
a three-room school for Negroes in
Douglassville at 924 Rock Street. The
school had three white administrators:
Dr. A. D. Kinser, Ms. Amelia Kaley,
and Ms. Georgia Barde
1870
1872
First graduating class of Douglass School:
1875
Ida Childs
Mary Braxton
Betty Shortage
1876
1878
German Lutheran Church
opened Douglass School
branch on Willow Street
to ease overcrowding
Seven students graduate
from Douglass School
Hannibal High School
closed for three years
because of disenchantment
with school administration
26-year old Joseph Pelham
named new Douglassville
School principal with Miss
Ella Gordon and Miss Jenny
Golden hired to teach 1st
through 8th grades
1874
Charles Morris
Eliza Gibson
Mary Hubbard
1881
1882
1883
1885
1888
Douglass High School has
enrollment of 50 students;
Chemistry and Physics classes
are added to curriculum; school
library established with 100 books
Southside Lincoln School
branch opened at 1074
Fulton Avenue, serving 1st,
2nd and 3rd grade children
3,220 white students and
684 Negro students currently
enrolled in Hannibal Public
School system.
Douglass School expanded from eight grades
to ten with additional night classes for adults;
all Negro schools are overcrowded
Three students graduate
from Douglass School
1880
After serious negotiations, 8-room
Douglass High School is built at a
cost of $8,580 and opened on corner
of Willow and Barton Streets. 16 boys
and 6 girls are enrolled with eleven
Douglass School at 924 Rock
Negro teachers; Pelham is named
remains open, serving 1st,
school’s superintendent
2nd and 3rd grade children
1891
A. C. Macklin is named as
Douglass High School principal
Fulton Avenue School is combined
with Douglassvile branch and renamed
Lincoln School with Ms. Whaley teaching
Douglass adds classrooms
becoming a 4-year high school
1904
1912
1921
1922
C. B. Walker becomes Principal
O. E. Estill hired as first
athletic director and coach
for Douglass High School
With much effort, Douglass High
School receives North Central
Association of Secondary Schools
accreditation
New auditorium built at
Douglass High School;
Class of 1933 is graduated
in new auditorium
1923
1925
1927
1932
Eldon Hall becomes Principal
1944
1945
Grades 10, 11, and 12
are integrated with
Hannibal High School
Coleman Wells becomes
new Principal, stays until
the school’s closure
Students continue to attend
elementary and junior high
at Douglass School (through
1959)
Martin Lewis retires as
Principal; dies soon after
Mr. Martin Lewis, 1893 graduate of
Douglass High School, becomes Principal
Lincoln School closes
1914
Douglass High School’s wellreceived, 30-piece school band
performs throughout Hannibal
and Missouri. Hannibal High
School adds music to its
curriculum
Major improvements at Douglass High School
included indoor plumbing, new sewing room
and gymnasium
Annex added more classrooms,
Home Economics and Shop
classes added to curriculum;
Superintendent Pelham retires
1897
Teacher Martin Lews adds Music
to curriculum; organized first school
band in Hannibal which was also the
first public school band in Missouri
Parks Music Company sponsors Music
Memory Contest. Winners from Douglass
High School were Charles Coursey, Ruth
Roberts, John Brooks, Flora Ashby, Ruth
Redd, and Evangelee Tapley
1952
1953
1955
Douglass Junior High wins 1959
conference basketball championship
Douglass High School closed
with the construction of the
new Hannibal Junior High.
Douglass had graduated 681
students from Hannibal and
surrounding northeast
Missouri towns
Douglass High School
becomes community
recreation facility with
club house, athletic field,
vocational rooms, meeting
rooms and gymnasium
1959
Douglass High School
purchased by Second
Christian Church and
ultimately becomes
Williw Street Christian
Church
1961