Philadelphia High School (Mississippi)

Not to be confused with Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia High School

Philadelphia High School is in Philadelphia, Mississippi. It is in the Philadelphia Public School District. In 2025, the student body of 238 in grades 9-12 was almost 90 percent African American and 9 percent white. All of the school's students were documented as economically disadvantaged. ^[1]

Lindsey O. Todd was superintendent in 1927. ^[2] In 2006, the school suffered minor fire damage on the second floor. ^[3]

Tornadoes are the school mascot. ^[4] In 2024, Georgia Grace, an alumnus, was named head football coach. ^[5] The class of 1964 held its reunion in 2024. ^[6]

History

Booker T. Washington High School opened in 1948 on Carver Avenue in Philadelphia. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Neshoba County, Mississippi. It succeeded a Rosenwald School (Julius Rosenwald) and Neshoba County Training School. The schools were for African American students. Officials closed the high school in 1970 after desegregation. ^[7] Neshoba Central High School is also on Philadelphia but is in a different school district and has a white majority among its students.

Alumni

• John Thomas Black ("Blondy" Black), football player ^[8]
• Josh Boyd, football player
• Fred McAfee, football player
• Marcus Dupree, football player
• Bill Stribling, football player
• Lamar Blount, football player ^[9]

See also

• Neshoba Central High School, also in Philadelphia but part of the Neshoba County School District

References

1. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/mississippi/districts/philadelphia-public-school-district/philadelphia-high-school-11391
2. Meeting, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (July 17, 1927). "Proceedings" – via Google Books.
3. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vicksburg-post/189302801/
4. "Philadelphia High School (MS) Varsity Basketball". www.maxpreps.com.
5. Riley, Breck (April 10, 2024). "Georgio Grace named head football coach at Philadelphia". Kicks96news.com - Central Mississippi News 24/7.
6. Perry, Carolyn (May 1, 2024). "Class of '64 holds reunion". The Neshoba Democrat.
7. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=140989
8. Crippen, Kenneth R. (November 3, 2023). "The Original Buffalo Bills: A History of the All-America Football Conference Team, 1946-1949". McFarland – via Google Books.
9. "Philadelphia (Philadelphia, MS) Alumni Pro Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.