Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation 

Keep up with the Foundation's news through our e-newsletter, The Herald  and join us in finding and sharing local heritage at Tiger Historic  Happenings. 

 Second Ward High School was opened in 1923 in Charlotte, North Carolina as the city's first high school for African American children.  The school was closed in 1969 and torn down during urban renewal.

Since 1980, the Foundation has continued the school's mission of education and community involvement by the school's alumni and friends.

Part of the annual Second Ward High School Reunion is the ceremony at the school's marker at the school's site. 

 "Remembering our Past and Preserving Our Future....Second Ward High School"

Annual Reunion is Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Charlotte

The Foundation will host the Annual Meeting and Reunion during the Labor Day weekend in Charlotte.  This yearly event will honor the Classes in Reunion and the Class of 1963 which is celebrating its Golden Anniversary. 

 Delois Huntley, a member of the Class of 1963, and the Second Ward combo. 

In the 2013 Reunion Greeting, Delores Giles, the Reunion Chair, congratulates the 1963 football team who by  "battling in the rain and mud"  defeated Raleigh's Ligon High School by a score of 28-14 to become the NC High School Athletic Conference Football Champions.

Click to see photos of the state championship team.

Giles also congratulates the two Alumnus of the Year, Rev. Barbara Davis Crawford ('62) and Gwendolyn  Moore Lucus ('68).

Here are links detailing the 2013 Reunion Events: 

• the Greetings from the Foundation President, Deborah Brice, Reunion Chair, Delores Giles and the Reunion Committee,
• the Annual Meeting/Reunion Schedule and registration form,
• the  forms for placing ads or being listed as patrons in the Souvenir Booklet,
• the Highlights description and forms for the sports roundup on Friday night and dance contest on Saturday night,
• the Second Ward Memorial Golf  tournament registration and forms and
• the contribution form for the House/Museum and Special Projects.

 The Annual Meeting/Reunion will be held at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.  Registration fees are due by August 5 and hotel reservations must be made by August 15.

 House/Museum at 1905 Beatties Ford Road

Alumni and citizens can visit the House/Museum to see memorabilia from the high school and exhibits on the Second Ward neighborhood and other Charlotte neighborhoods that were home to the black community. 

Groups or individual may make appointments to visit or use the Foundation House at 1905 Beatties Ford Road in west Charlottte near the intersection of LaSalle Street.

We are an all volunteer organization and we do not have regular office hours.  But please call us at 704.398.9333 to arrange this.  We will need  five-seven days to arrange these visits.

Who We Are

The Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation is dedicated to keeping the school's memory alive and to be a resource in finding and sharing our community's African American heritage

 Since the organization of the Foundation in 1980, one of our missions has been to be a resource to the community to our partners and to individuals looking to find people, stories, images and information. 

We have developed our collections from numerous donations and projects.  But we are more than an archive.  Working with colleagues and volunteers from the Foundation, we have created museum exhibits, books, interactive media, a documentary film, special events and on-camera interviews with Charlotte black leaders. 

 For several decades we have served as a resource to conserve and preserve the images of our community.  Our mission grew out of the educational endeavors of the teachers at Second Ward – to document and educate all citizens.

What We Do

The documentary, A Colored School, features remarkable 1941 film footage from a day at the school and surrounding neighborhood. View stories about the film at UNC-TV.

 The May Queen, Margaret Alexander, pictured above  and is one of the students shown in 1941 and on-camera today.

 The Second Ward Foundation's traveling exhibit is available for events

How We Make Our Mission Possible

We are a volunteer organization and our many projects have been made possible through the work of our volunteers, contributions from alumni and friends and from grants and awards from the following:

The Arts & Science Council of Charlotte has awarded operating and special project grants; The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation has helped us document and preserve important histories; and The Good Samaritan Fund of the Episcopal Church has supported our work on the James Peeler photo archive.