Jefferson High School (Los Angeles)

History

In 1915, the citizens of Los Angeles voted to sell bonds to raise $4,600,000 to build schools in the area. Approximately $500,000 was appropriated to build Jefferson High School on the "Stadium East Grounds" (the Old Coliseum) which held approximately 25,000 people in a circled amphitheater configuration. The "Stadium," as it was known, was the site for hosting and entertaining travelers on the way to both the San Diego and San Francisco world expos in 1915. Numerous rodeos and bicycle races were held at the location.

Architect Norman F. Marsh was hired to design the new Jefferson High School complex. The property fronted 1235 feet on Hooper Avenue, 1149 feet on Compton Avenue, 952 feet on 34th Street, and 392 feet on 38th Street. The buildings of the group would be of brick and concrete construction, being faced with rug tapestry brick and trimmed with artificial stone. All corridors and stairways would be made absolutely fireproof. The classical style would be followed, each of the main structures having a dignified entrance portico with stone pediment and columns.

Jefferson opened its doors on September 11, 1916, with 24 faculty members and two buildings completed. Theodore Fulton was installed as the school's first principal. He and his wife died in a December 1930 car crash. Their daughter Ruth survived. They had three other daughters.

On March 10, 1933, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in the city of Long Beach completely destroyed the infrastructure of the six buildings which composed the Jefferson High School Campus. The campus was closed from March 10 until April 6 while the school board assessed the situation. On April 6, tent bungalows provided by the school board were erected on the football fields. Classes were shortened to half day sessions in order to serve the entire student population.

Reconstruction

In 1933, Architect Stiles O. Clements was hired to build a 45-unit campus with a budget of $353,000. The "Streamline Modern" building structures were completed in 1935. Ross Dickinson was selected and funded by Federal Art Project to paint four 11 feet by 5.5 foot murals with the theme "The History of Recorded Word". The murals were completed in 1937.

As of 1936, several notable alumni such as Ralph Bunche, Woody Strode and Samuel R. Browne had graduated from Jefferson High School. All three men were Black American, the first of many Jefferson alumni to break racial barriers in politics, dance, music, and sports. Jefferson produced more jazz musicians and composers than any other high school west of the Mississippi. Many of the musicians were nurtured under the guidance of Samuel R. Browne.

Post-reconstruction

The school was in the Los Angeles City High School District until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD.

Athletics

In 1937, Jefferson won the first of eight California State Championships in track and field (1937, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1962, and 1964). The four consecutive state championships in California (1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952) have not been surpassed today. Woody Strode is one of two men who broke the color barrier in the National Football League in 1946. Mal Whitfield and Charles Dumas both received gold medals in the Olympics. This is a rare instance when two Olympic gold medalists have come from the same high school.

Music

Jefferson High has produced more prominent jazz musicians and composers than any other public or private high school in California. The school's music classes greatly impacted the participation of teenagers and young musicians in the Central Avenue jazz scene, its curriculum offering courses in music theory, music appreciation, harmony, counterpoint, orchestra, band, and choir. The hiring of influential teacher Samuel Browne in 1936 marked the beginning of a shift toward an integrated faculty in LA County public secondary schools and a pedagogical approach that emphasized mentorship, encouragement, and involvement with students and their families.

Academic configuration

Jefferson is a traditional calendar school, composed of four Small Learning Communities (SLCs) and the Early College program, which is located at L.A. Trade Tech. The goal of each SLC is to offer individualized attention to students. The SLCs are as follows:

Academy of Business & Communication (ABC): focuses on building leaders in the liberal arts, retail, medical, legal and business fields.

Creative Arts and Expression (CAE): focuses on the creative energy and leadership within each student through the arts.

Global Outlook through Academic Leadership: focuses on building leaders in the social, political, environmental, health and economic fields

TPA Small Learning Community: focuses on building leaders in the education and social services fields

The Early College Program (Jefferson/Trade Tech. Incentive) accepts students, based on recommendation and interview, who have "extenuating circumstances" requiring special support to achieve college acceptance.

Notable alumni

Dancers and choreographers

Alvin Ailey – choreographer and activist; founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City

Carmen De Lavallade – dancer and actor

Television and film actors

Matthew Beard Jr. – Black American actor, best known as Stymie in Our Gang (The Little Rascals) shorts

Roland Got – Chinese-American actor, best known for The Good Earth (1937)

Suzette Harbin – Black American actress and dancer in films

Theresa Harris – Black American character actress and singer; notable early films include Hold Your Man (1932), Baby Face, and Professional Sweetheart (1933)

Juanita Moore – actress, fourth Black American nominated for an Oscar; participated in over 50 movies; best known for her role as the mother in Imitation of Life

Woody Strode – Black American actor and football player, acted in films including The Ten Commandments, Spartacus, and Posse

Television and film production and design

John Meehan – art director and production designer

Iwao Takamoto – animator and character designer for Walt Disney Productions and Hanna-Barbera

Politicians and judges

Ralph Bunche – educator, UN mediator on Palestine, Nobel Peace Prize winner

Mablean Ephriam – prosecuting attorney on television series Divorce Court and Justice with Judge Mablean

Earl C. Gay – Los Angeles City Council member, 1933–45

Augustus F. Hawkins – U.S. House of Representatives from California's 21st and 29th district from 1963 to 1991; California assembly from 1935 to 1963

Thelton Henderson – federal judge in the Northern District of California

Willard H. Murray, Jr. – California State Assembly member 1988–1996 (District 52); California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz; current director of the Water Replenishment District 1; father of former state senator Kevin Murray

David W. Williams – judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California; first Black American federal judge from states west of the Mississippi

Journalists

Stanley Crouch – syndicated columnist and novelist best known for his jazz criticism and 2004 novel Don't the Moon Look Lonesome?

Composers, songwriters, and music directors

Roy Ayers – funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and record producer; nicknamed the "godfather of neo soul"

Jesse Belvin – songwriter, singer; co-wrote "Goodnight My Love", used to end the Alan Freed show; co-writer of "Earth Angel", made popular by The Penguins

Richard Berry – singer-songwriter, original performer of the rock standard "Louie Louie"

Leroy Hurte – singer, music conductor, composer, educator, author, businessman, and record producer

Rickey Minor – Emmy-nominated music director, composer, and music producer for shows including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, American Idol and Don't Forget The Lyrics!

Horace Tapscott – jazz piano player and composer; subject of UCLA Jazz Archive called the Horace Tapscott Collection; creator of the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra (P.A.P.A.)

Johnny "Guitar" Watson – blues and funk singer-songwriter and guitarist

Barry White – record producer, singer-songwriter; five-time Grammy Award winner; attended Jefferson for sophomore and junior year

Young Jessie – R&B and jazz singer-songwriter

Instrumental musicians

Don Cherry – jazz trumpet player

Sonny Criss – jazz saxophone player transferred from Jordan High School to Jefferson

Bill Douglass – jazz drummer

Addison Farmer – jazz bassist

Art Farmer – jazz trumpet player

Dexter Gordon – jazz saxophonist known for his music and starring role in the movie Round Midnight;

Chico Hamilton – jazz drummer

Jackie Kelson – jazz saxophone player

Melba Liston – jazz trombone player; attended Jefferson, but later transferred to Polytechnic High School

Big Jay McNeely – jazz saxophone player; transferred from Jordan to Jefferson

Jack McVea – jazz and Dixieland saxophone player

Frank Morgan – jazz saxophone player

Vi Redd – jazz saxophone player

Ernie Royal – jazz trumpet player

Marshal Royal – jazz saxophone player

Ginger Smock – concert and jazz violinist

Ed Thigpen – jazz drummer

Lammar Wright, Jr. – jazz trumpet player

Lee Young – jazz drummer

Singers

Ivie Anderson – jazz singer, performed with Duke Ellington's orchestra between 1931 and 1942

Ernie Andrews – jazz and blues singer

Richard Berry – singer, songwriter, and musician; known for writing "Louie Louie," performed with numerous Los Angeles doo-wop groups including The Flairs

Ray Brewster – member of the groups The Hollywood Flames, The Cadillacs, The Penguins and The Platters

Merry Clayton – solo musician and backup singer for many artists, including Mick Jagger

Cornell Gunter – R&B singer and member of The Platters and The Coasters; transferred to Manual Arts his senior year

Jennell Hawkins – R&B and jazz singer

Alex Hodge – member of musical group The Platters

Gaynel Hodge – member of musical group The Platters

Etta James – blues singer famous for hit song "At Last"

Johnnie Martin – member of the gospel group Mighty Clouds of Joy

O.C. Smith – jazz singer and minister who performed with Count Basie Orchestra; recorded the first version of the song "That's Life" made famous by Frank Sinatra; had numerous hit songs in his long career

Bruce Tate – member of doo-wop group The Penguins

Mel Walker – lead singer with the Johnny Otis Orchestra

Military

Theodore Lumpkin Jr. (1919–2020) – Tuskegee Airman, social worker and businessman

Visual artists

Kerry James Marshall – artist

Sports

Emmett Ashford – first African-American umpire in major league baseball

Andy Bakjian – National Track and Field Hall of Fame official; longtime coach at Jefferson

Don Bishop – football player for the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears

Otis Burrell – 5-time National Champion in the high jump, 1966 NCAA Champion at University of Nevada, Reno, Pan American Games silver medalist

Milt Davis – football player for the Baltimore Colts from 1957 to 1961, including winning the 1958 NFL Championship game

Romeo Doubs – football player for the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots

Charles Dumas – Olympic high jumper and the first person to clear seven feet; attended Jefferson in his sophomore and Junior years; transferred to Centennial High School in Compton

Joe Kelly – football player for the Cincinnati Bengals

Edgar Lacy – UCLA basketball player

Lee Maye – Major League Baseball player

Glenn McDonald – basketball player for the Boston Celtics

Bill McGill – NBA basketball player

Bernard Quarles – NFL and CFL football player

Woody Strode – NFL and CFL football player and decathlete who went on to become an actor

Academic Performance Index (API)

API for high schools in the LAUSD District 5 and local small public charter high schools in the East Los Angeles region: