- Wakulla County established Shadeville High School in 1931.
- It was the county's first school for Black students during segregation.
- The Wakulla County Christian Coalition is working to have the building recognized as a historical site.
- Watch the video to see what steps theyre taking to make this happen.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors are working to preserve the history of a significant building—Shadeville High School.
Built in 1931, Shadeville High was the first and only school for Black students in Wakulla County during segregation. Cephus Harvey, who graduated in 1962, remembers it as the only school he could attend at the time.
“This place is very important to us,” Harvey said. “I got my foundation and education right here.”
A few years after Harvey graduated, the school became an elementary school for all races. It remains an elementary school to this day. Now, a group of concerned community members, including the Wakulla County Christian Coalition, is working to get the building recognized as a historical site.
Jennie Jones, a member of the Christian Coalition, shared the origins of their efforts.
“The Christian Coalition was developed because of the fact that there was nothing being done countywide as it relates to African American history,” Jones explained.
For her, Shadeville is an essential part of that history.
“We did so much with so little, because we couldn’t compare to the other schools in the county. But what we had, we did the best we could, and we had some good people who came out of here,” she said.
In order to have a building recognized as a historical site in Florida, the Florida Division of Historical Resources must approve it. The Superintendent of Wakulla County Schools has said they are looking into the process of getting Shadeville High recognized as a historical landmark. No decision has been made yet.
As the process moves forward, Harvey remains hopeful.
“We would like the support of the school leaders in the county to help us secure this site,” he said.
The Christian Coalition hopes the building will serve as a reminder of the history it holds. They’re also hosting a Black History Month parade this Saturday at Hudson Park.
