Martin Luther King High School (Detroit)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. High School is located at 3200 East Lafayette Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan; the building is operated by the Detroit Board of Education. King's district encompasses Downtown and Midtown Detroit; it also includes Lafayette Park, the Martin Luther King Apartments and Riverfront Condominiums. The Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects were zoned to MLK prior to their demolition.[1] In addition it includes the three Wayne State University housing complexes that permit families with children (Chatsworth Tower, DeRoy, and University Tower).[1][2][3]
Martin Luther King High School | |
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Address | |
3200 East Lafayette Boulevard , | |
Coordinates | 42°20′38″N 83°00′57″W |
Information | |
School type | Examination School of Choice |
School district | Detroit Public Schools |
Principal | Deborah Jenkins |
Grades | 9-12 |
Enrollment | 1,338 |
Language | English |
Area | Urban |
Color(s) | gold and black |
Mascot | Crusaders |
Rival | Cass Technical High School |
History: 1901-1968
The school was originally known as Eastern High School. It opened in 1901, with three teachers and 300 students, at the intersection of Mack Avenue and East Grand Boulevard.
History: Since 1968
Over the past twenty-six seasons, the Crusaders women's basketball program, coached by William Winfield, has appeared in eleven Michigan High School Athletic Association championship finals – winning on five occasions in 1985, 1990, 1991, 2003 and 2006.[4]
In 2006, ML King Jr. High School won the Detroit City League championship trophy in men's swimming and diving.
In 2007, the King Crusaders, coached by Jim Reynolds, became the first team from the Detroit Public Secondary Schools Athletic League to win a MHSAA Football Championship.[5]
During 2008, King High School's marching band raised over $300,000 (including sponsorship from U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton) to perform at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
One of the largest components of the 2009 Detroit Public Schools' $500.5 million-dollar bond construction program was the MLK Project. At a cost of $46.4 million, the redeveloped Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School re-opened in September 2011. The school emphasizes a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum.
In 2012 Kettering High School closed, and some students were rezoned to King.[6] In 2017, King was marked for closure by the State of Michigan due to its poor academic performance from 2014 to 2016.[7] An agreement between the state and the Detroit Board of Education saved the school from closure.[8]
Notable alumni
- Anthony Adams, former NFL defensive tackle
- Joe Altobelli (1950) All-City basketball, football and baseball player for Eastern Indians; he enjoyed several successful seasons of Major League Baseball as a player and as manager of 1983 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles.[9][10]
- John "Frenchy" Fuqua (1965) achieved collegiate football stardom as running back for Morgan State University, then played eight seasons with NFL's New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers; while with the Steelers, Fuqua become part of NFL lore as intended receiver for quarterback Terry Bradshaw's pass that sports historians refer to as the Immaculate Reception[11]
- Joe Girard author, speaker and "The World's Greatest Salesman" as recognized by Guinness Book of World Records
- Reggie Harding (1961) first-team Parade Magazine All-American in 1961; led Eastern to three consecutive Detroit Public School League basketball championships; three-time All-State selection, drafted out of high school by Detroit Pistons; played four seasons in the NBA[12][13]
- Chris Greenwood, former NFL cornerback
- George Gervin (1970) former professional basketball player and member of Basketball Hall of Fame; in 1997, was voted one of NBA's 50 Greatest Players[14][15][16]
- Rod Hill (1977) played collegiate football for Kentucky State University; selected in first round of 1983 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys; played 11 professional seasons, six in NFL and five with Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League[17]
- Ron Johnson, former NFL wide receiver
- Ron LeFlore, Major League Baseball player for Detroit Tigers, two-time stolen-base champion zin 1978 and 1980; did not play baseball for high school or graduate[18][19]
- Avonte Maddox, cornerback for NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles[20]
- Gerald McBurrows, former NFL safety
- Kerwin Moore (1989) former MLB player (Oakland Athletics)
- Nick Perry (2008), linebacker for NFL's Green Bay Packers; played collegiate football for the USC Trojans football
- Karon Riley, former NFL linebacker
- Ernest Shazor, former NFL safety
- Lou Scott (1963) one of America's top distance runners during 1960s; won Michigan Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors in 1962 and 1963; competed for Arizona State University; won silver medal in 5000 meter run Pan American Games in 1967; the following year, by virtue of his third-place finish at Olympic Trials, competed in 5000 at 1968 Summer Olympics[21]
- Emanuel Steward (1962) boxing trainer who trained world champions such as Thomas Hearns, Hilmer Kenty, Lennox Lewis and others; inductee in International Boxing Hall of Fame; was dedicated to changing lives of young men and women through sport
- Mike Taylor, former NFL linebacker
- Helen Thomas, journalist
- Kevin Vickerson, former NFL defensive tackle
- Ken Woodard, former NFL linebacker
- Bill Yearby (1962) won shot put event at 1962 MHSAA Track and Field Finals[22] Upon graduation from EHS, Yearby became an All-American football player at the University of Michigan; he also played professionally with the New York Jets.[23]
- Coleman A. Young (1934) first served in State House of Representatives, later becoming a Michigan State Senator; Mayor of Detroit from 1974 to 1994, the first African-American; outspoken person who lobbied at all levels for City of Detroit
References and notes
- "High School Boundary Map." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on October 2, 2011.
- "Community Living Guide Apartments 2011 Archived 2012-12-24 at the Wayback Machine." Wayne State University. 12. Retrieved on October 2, 2011. DeRoy, University Tower, and Chatsworth Tower unfurnished apartments are approved for family housing."
- "Contact Us General Office of Housing & Residential Life Archived 2015-07-10 at the Wayback Machine." Wayne State University. Retrieved on October 2, 2011. "Chatsworth Tower 630 Merrick Detroit, MI 48202" and "Helen L. DeRoy Apartments 5200 Anthony Wayne Drive Detroit, MI 48202" and "University Tower Apartments 4500 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201"
- http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/index.htm
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2008-11-24.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "4.-Kettering-High-School-Kettering-West-Wing.pdf." (Archive) Detroit Public Schools. p. 2. Retrieved on November 1, 2012. "Fisher Building – 14th Floor 3011 W. Grand Boulevard Detroit, MI 48202-2710"
- Higgins, Lori (January 20, 2017). "In 2018, 35 more Michigan schools could face closure". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- Higgins, Lori (April 27, 2017). "Agreement saves Detroit schools from forced closure by state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=41
- Porter, David L. (2000). Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: A-F. ISBN 9780313311741.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2008-02-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.mhsaa.com/games/sports/bbb/psl.pdf
- http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=8
- George Gervin
- http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=141
- http://www.detroitpslbasketball.com/?page_id=95
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-10-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Archived 2015-01-11 at the Wayback Machine
- "Avonte Maddox - Football". Pittsburgh Panthers. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- http://www.michtrack.org/whatever.htm#SCOTT Archived 2009-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
- http://www.mhsaa.com/sports/btr/yearlyindv1960.html
- https://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.newyorkjets.com/image_assets/1113/yearby_bill.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.newyorkjets.com/team/all_time/player/844-bill-yearby&usg=__8E2T-7jmIJS-PDqPdfKaT_b43mg=&h=139&w=135&sz=6&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=LkBVLBkNaJ8L_M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBill%2BYearby%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_enUS250US250%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1