McDonogh 35 High School

McDonogh 35 Senior High School is a charter public high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a part of New Orleans Public Schools and InspireNOLA charter operator. The school was named after John McDonogh. History Prior to 1917, during the era of segregated school systems in the Southern U.S., no public high school existed in New Orleans for African-American pupils. Those interested in pursuing an education beyond the eighth grade had to attend one of the city's three private secondary schools for blacks: Leland College, New Orleans University, or Straight College. In 1917, a group of citizens met to petition the Orleans Parish School System to convert McDonogh 13 Boys' School from a white elementary school to a secondary educational facility for black pupils. The petition was granted and in the fall of 1917, McDonogh 35 Senior High School became recognized as a four-year high school. McDonogh 35 remained the only public four-year high school for African Americans until the L. B. Landry transitioned from an elementary into a high school in 1942. Booker T. Washington also opened its doors in 1942 for African Americans.