J.O. Johnson High School

Coordinates: 34°47′57.4″N 86°36′33.56″W / 34.799278°N 86.6093222°W / 34.799278; -86.6093222

James Oliver Johnson High School, more commonly referred to as J.O. Johnson High School or J.O.J., is a public high school located in the northwest area of Huntsville, Alabama. The school serves grades 9 through 12. It is home to an International Education Magnet Program, and the school also features a Marine JROTC program.^[1]

History

The school was named for former Huntsville educator James Oliver Johnson, and served as a Brigadier General in the United States Army. Johnson commanded one of the first all black combat battalion in WW II, leading to the integration and racial diversity of the US Army. Johnson lead men who constructed airplane infrastructure on the ground in North Africa and Mediterranean region, for Army Air Forces including the Tuskegee Airmen.

True to the legacy of its namesake, JO Johnson is the first new High School in Huntsville, Alabama built as a racially integrated high school. Black and White Students had no strife, and became the model High School throughout the state shortly after the Civil Rights era.

The road actually leading to the campus, Cecil Fain Drive, is named after another long term educator. J.O.J. opened in 1972 at 6201 Pueblo Drive, Huntsville, Alabama, to ease the overcrowding of Lee High School and to meet the needs of an area of Huntsville that had just begun to grow in population. Its primary feeder schools are the Academy for Science and Foreign Language, Edward H. White Middle School, and Davis Hills Middle School.

In August 2012, the Huntsville City Schools announced plans to build a new school, and retain the name JO Johnson.

In 2013 it was announced the school would receive a new building, but retain it's name in 2016. The latest statement is that the Johnson name will not transfer to the new school (unlike the 4 other High Schools rebuilt over the years) The school name will close and be changed to Mae Jemison High School and for the middle school that will share the campus, Ronald McNair Junior High School. These school names are named after the NASA Astronaut Mae Jemison who had no connection to the community, and only connection to Alabama is being born in Decatur, AL but permanently leaving for Chicago at age 3.

A protest, against the decision and misinformation of the name change has ripped the community, and was the subject of a peaceful protest of over 500 people in 2013; the largest civil rights protest in the history of Huntsville, AL. The protest was lead by the students and alumni, plus the elected officials who represents the JO Johnson community.

Johnson High rival, Lee High School,is named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and is located nearby. Incredibly, unlike Johnson, the Lee High School is retaining their school name after a recent new facility was constructed. In opposite of Johnson High legacy of diversity and racial harmony. Lee High, represents the Confederate Flag as part of the school pride, heritage, tradition and pageantry as late as the 1980s, and the Confederate Flag bearing General on a horse is still rated by Lee Alums as the official insignia of Lee High School.

Lee High School was opened as a school only for whites, and desegregation did not occur until federal courts stepped up, in the late 1960s. The school until a few years ago was located on Confederate General Farris Drive. Farris also is one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan.

JO Johnson other rival, also retained it's name and confederate symbols, albeit Johnson High a school opened on the principles of diversity is forced to change its name. Butler High School was closed in 2015. However, it's mascot was the racist Colonel Rebel character, the same as the one recently abandoned by the University of Mississippi due to its overt racist nod to the colonial south. Butler High was opened as a school only for whites students, and never abandoned it's pageantry of confederate mascots and symbols which included a massive confederate flag on its gymnasium wall.

The current principal is Eric T. Jones, who resigned in December 2015, the 4th to resign in 6 years.

Notable Alumni

Journalism and Media Personalities

Film, Theater, and Television

Law

United States Armed Forces

Athletics

Inventor

Notable Faculty

Former Faculty

• Laura Hall (D - District 19), former Biology teacher, member of the Alabama House of Representatives

References

External links

• School website