Imagine: a school that has transformed over the decades standing before you. That’s James Madison High School. It stands at 3000 Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. This public secondary school in Dallas serves students in grades 9-12. James Madison High School is part of the Dallas Independent School District.
Originally, this building was the Forest Avenue High School. It was constructed in 1916. The style is Italian Renaissance architecture. At the time, this area was a fast-growing Dallas suburb. The building earned a place on the United States National Register of Historic Places. This was because of its architecture and its importance to the growing South Dallas community. The recognized period ended with the close of World War II in 1945.
In 1951, the school added a junior high annex. It housed eighth and ninth graders. The surrounding community began to change in the late 1940s. Large numbers of African-Americans moved into the area.
A significant shift occurred on June 14, 1956. The Dallas Board of Education announced a redrawing of the attendance zone. This was to ease overcrowding at the two existing “Negro schools.” Those schools were Booker T. Washington High School and Lincoln High School. Following its segregation policy, Forest Avenue High School became a school for Black students. White students were reassigned to Crozier Tech High School.
The NAACP criticized the decision to turn over the school instead of integrating. The Dallas Morning News applauded the school system. It was praised for providing Black students with an excellent facility. The system did not violate state law by segregating the school. The Dad’s Club and Parent-Teacher Association petitioned to retire the school’s name colors and emblem. They wanted them available for any future whites-only school. Trophies and memorabilia were transferred to Crozier Tech.
That fall, the school reopened as James Madison High School. In 2015, the Texas Education Agency rated the school “Met Standard.”
The Forest Avenue High School Alumni Association donated items to the Dallas Public Library in 1983. They once offered scholarships to Madison students. Funding losses forced them to discontinue that program. The association still had 800 members in October 2012.
Today, James Madison High School has an attendance rate of 93%. The student body is diverse. It is 58% African American and 40% Hispanic. One percent is White American and another one percent other races.
The James Madison Trojans compete in various sports. The boys’ basketball program is one of the best in the state. They won a 3A state championship in March 2022.
Notable alumni include Jack Glatzer. He was a concert violinist. Stanley Marcus was a department-store magnate. Aaron Spelling was a television producer. Ruthe Lewin Winegarten was an author and activist. Admon Gilder played basketball for NBA G League Ignite. Stone Johnson was a 1960 Olympic track star. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs. Michael A. Lenoir is the 2013 President Elect of the National Medical Association. Brett Maxie is a former NFL player and assistant coach. Dave Stallworth played in the NBA. Sylvia Stanfield was the first Black female U.S. ambassador to Brunei. Dwight White was a former NFL Pro Bowl player. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers “Steel Curtain” defense.
James Madison High School stands as a testament to change adaptation and enduring community spirit.