PERIOD 1890-1913

The records of the Negro school do not exist prior to 1913, because at this time the “day-law” that segregated white and Negro pupils in the schools of Kentucky was incited. It is not clear if both races attended the same public schools in Harlan County before this law. We do have files of information authenticating that in 1890, school was conducted in a one-room log cabin near the site of the residence occupied at this writing by Mr. Jim Green. This school remained on the same site with same instructor, Professor McKinley, until 1900. It is reasonable to assume that somewhere between 1900-1906, the pupils had been segregated according to race. Information was gathered, authenticating Mr. John Riley Turner as instructor in 1905, when the site of the school was moved to a field in the vicinity of Elm Street. The site of the school remained the same during the period of 1906-1909. Miss Polly Turner replaced her brother, John Riley Turner. In 1910, a noted growth occurred in the enrollment. This enrollment required two teachers, Ollie Ledford and Lillard Turner. No name other than The Colored School was given to this school which was moved to and from various locations. It was reported that in 1912, the school was located in an upstairs room in a building on the site once occupied by Foster & Spillman. Miss Polly Turner was instructor at that time.

PERIOD 1914-1927

It was told by some of the old settlers of Harlan County that The Colored School was held in a Methodist Church on Cumberland Avenue in 1912. The teacher at that time was Miss Ollie Ledford. In 1913, the school was moved to the First Baptist Church on North Main Street. School was held there from 1913 through 1916. During 1916-1917, G. G. Green went to the Board of Education and requested a permanent site for The Colored School in this community. According to the superintendent’s report of 1917-1918, the Board authorized the superintendent to investigate possibilities of securing a location for the school. Members of the Harlan Board of Education from 1916-1917 were: B.F. Unthank, Chairman T.L. Smith, Secretary W.W. Lewis, Treasurer F.D. Perkins, Superintendent. The following information was taken from the superintendent’s report of 1917-1918: “With the adoption of the commission form of government for our schools, it became necessary for the Board to assume charge of the education of the colored children of this district. While it was not obligatory for me to do so. I assume that this was my duty to see that there was a school for the education of colored children. Now I can say, The Colored School is fairly well organized, and I think the work of the coming year will prove satisfactory.

The plans for the purchase of better lots or a school building will probably be carried to a successful conclusion in the near future.” In 1918, the negotiation was carried on for the purchase of a lot for a colored school building, but due to the fact that committee was unable to purchase the land on satisfactory terms, suit was instituted at the June session at the County Court, but the case was passed on until the July term. As soon as a location had been secured, the colored people of this community undertook to raise $500.00 to be applied to the construction of a building with the $400.00 that The Rosenwald Fund had definitely promised to contribute for the same purpose. At that time there were no colored organizations in Harlan to help raise the money except the churches. The churches began to raise the money needed for the building. The persons who led this fundraising effort were Henry Creech, G.G. Green, rev. P.A. Mayfield, William Bencher, Sam White, and others. With these two appropriations, it was possible for the erection of a suitable building in which to carry on classes for The Colored School of this community. In 1920, the splendid new colored, two-room school building on Clover Street was completed and it was opened for school immediately. Mr. L.S. Turner was assigned as teacher. The attendance on the first day was 67 students. It was impossible for one teacher to manage this number, which grew to near 100. Miss Emme Mayfield was employed as an assistant. These two teachers together succeeded in enrolling the full one hundred, the number on the census rolls. A splendid record for the entire year was very satisfactory in every respect. From the period of 1921 through 1927, the records of the school are unknown.