Written by Cate Kennedy, Heritage High School Student

1965 Yearbook page of W.E.B. DuBois Cheerleading Team

(1922) The Wake Forest Graded School was first housed in Olive Branch Baptist Church, where it met children’s educational needs at the primary grade levels.

(1926) With funding from the Rosenwald Fund and a matching $1,100 raised by the African American community, a new building was built and the school was moved to its present site (518 N Franklin St).

Julius Rosenwald worked with African American communities to improve education by constructing schools. North Carolina created over 800 of these institutions, which was more than any other state.

(1928) The school was renamed the W.E.B. DuBois School in honor of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois.
The football program at W.E.B DuBois High School was formed in the mid-1950s. The team became successful in the 1960s and achieved Wake Forest football’s first-ever state championship win in 1968, co-champions of the North Carolina High School Athletic Conference AA Division following a 6-6 tie with Sampson High School (Clinton, NC).

This energetic photo features Roger Shackleford, Jerome Anderson, Richard Harris, and Frank Lucas.

During a period marked by racial inequality, the DuBois School became an incredible place of education and community. DuBois had a lively atmosphere, with caring teachers and a thriving student body. The final class of 50 students graduated from W.E.B. DuBois School in 1970.
Wake County School System integrated soon after, closing the operation of DuBois. In 1998, the campus was left vacant.