Ever wonder what it’s like to walk the halls of a school with a story etched into its very foundation? That’s Harlan Community Academy High School. Here we stand before a place of learning and community. It has shaped countless lives since its doors opened in 1958.
Harlan Community Academy High School stands proudly in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood. It is more than just a school. It’s a landmark. The school is named for John Marshall Harlan. He was a Kentucky lawyer and U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Imagine the scene in June 1957. The Chicago Board of Education approved the construction of Harlan High School. The budget was set at $3.2 million. The location was to be at 97th Street and Michigan Avenue. It took only 18 months for the Joseph J. Duffy company to complete the building. Harlan High School was built to accommodate between 1800 and 2000 students.
But even before its opening, controversy stirred. In December 1957, parents protested the absence of a swimming pool. They argued that Bogan High School was getting a pool. Harlan should have one too. The board responded. Harlan’s design made a pool construction too expensive.
Months before the first bell rang, Fenger High School parents tried to shift attendance boundaries. This would affect 300 students wanting to attend Harlan. The suit was dismissed. Harlan opened in September 1958. Its address is 9652 S. Michigan Avenue. The initial enrollment was 1400 students.
By 1965, Harlan faced overcrowding. The school’s population was 2726 students. This was 88% over capacity. African-American students made up 93% of the student body. To cope, Harlan ran 12-period days. It also had five lunch periods and six mobile classrooms. Students were attracted from outside the attendance area. This caused the overcrowding.
August 1985 marked a change. Harlan became a “community academy”. It accepted students from outside its area. This was through the Option for Knowledge program. Harlan added STEM programs in 2009. These are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Harlan’s athletic teams are the Falcons. They compete in the Chicago Public League. They are also part of the Illinois High School Association. The boys’ basketball and track teams have each won three Public League championships. The boys’ track team won the state championship in 1967.
Several notable figures walked these halls. There is Tina Andrews. She is an actress and author. Dennis DeYoung is also an alumni. He is a musician and a founding member of Styx. Emil Brown played MLB baseball. Cliff Meely played in the NBA. Lena McLin taught music here from 1965 to 1969.
Harlan Community Academy High School continues to evolve. It adapts to the needs of its students and community. It remains a vital part of Chicago’s educational landscape. As we conclude our visit, remember Harlan’s legacy. It is a place of learning, community, and opportunity for generations to come.