Skip to main content

Booker T. Washington High School Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

The Booker T. Washington Auditorium Building is the last extant building of Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina. The school opened in 1916 and became an important institution for the African American community in Columbia and across South Carolina. The Auditorium Building was constructed in 1956 using state funds dedicated to equalizing African American schools across South Carolina, which the state government hoped would forestall a push toward integrated schools. From 1956 until 1970, the auditorium served the segregated high school. When Booker T. Washington High School and other schools in Richland District One integrated in 1970-71, the Auditorium Building continued to function as the school’s auditorium, classroom spaces for music and theater classes, and the shop classrooms for vocational education. The auditorium was also used for a number of public events that brought together the school and local Columbia community. The building’s period of significance ends in 1970, when Richland District One when a series of court cases finally forced public schools in South Carolina to implement plans for racial integration.

Included in this photo gallery are the following:

  • Exterior looks at the original Booker T. Washington Auditorium Building
  • South Carolina Historical Marker located outside of the school
  • Inside the Booker T. Washington Auditorium
  • Athletic trophies earned by Booker T. Washington High School
  • Glimpses down the hallways
  • A look into a classroom

Resources

You need to be logged in to listen to view this content. Create an account now; it's quick, easy, and free!

Log In to View

More in this Series

Let's Go! / Civil Rights 360

3D VR - Bettis Academy | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Bettis Academy | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!
From 1915-1974, Booker T. Washington High School served as a separate educational system for young African-Americans in Columbia, South Carolina. The school began with elementary grades and became a...
3D VR - Lamar High School Gymnasium | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Lamar High School Gymnasium | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
3D VR - Lamar High School | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Lamar High School | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
3D VR - Penn Center: Brick Church | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Penn Center: Brick Church | Let's Go!
Penn Center is one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. The historic campus is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go! Bettis Academy Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Bettis Academy Overview | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
Bettis Academy Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Bettis Academy Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go! Historic Scott’s Branch High School  | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Historic Scott’s Branch High School | Let's Go!
The original Scott’s Branch High School was formed to serve African American students in Summerton, South Carolina. Originally known as the Taw Caw School, the school's name changed due to the...
 Lamar High School Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Lamar High School Overview | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
Lamar High School Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Lamar High School Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
 Penn Center Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Penn Center Overview | Let's Go!
Penn Center is one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. The historic campus is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and...
Penn Center Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Penn Center Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
The Penn Center, founded officially as the Penn School in 1865, is a campus of buildings dedicated to African American education in St. Helena Island, South Carolina. The original school grew out of...

Let's Go!

3D VR - Bettis Academy | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Bettis Academy | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!
From 1915-1974, Booker T. Washington High School served as a separate educational system for young African-Americans in Columbia, South Carolina. The school began with elementary grades and became a...
3D VR - Lamar High School Gymnasium | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Lamar High School Gymnasium | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
3D VR - Lamar High School | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Lamar High School | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
3D VR - Penn Center: Brick Church | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Penn Center: Brick Church | Let's Go!
Penn Center is one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. The historic campus is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go! Bettis Academy Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Bettis Academy Overview | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
Bettis Academy Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Bettis Academy Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and...
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go! Historic Scott’s Branch High School  | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Historic Scott’s Branch High School | Let's Go!
The original Scott’s Branch High School was formed to serve African American students in Summerton, South Carolina. Originally known as the Taw Caw School, the school's name changed due to the...
 Lamar High School Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Lamar High School Overview | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
Lamar High School Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Lamar High School Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit...
Let's Go! - VR Instructions

Document

Grades

  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
Let's Go! - VR Instructions
To View VRs on a DESKTOP COMPUTER, click the links below: H.L. Hunley Museum Historic Brattonsville Homestead House Old Exchange & Dungeon Powder Magazine South Carolina State House USS Yorktown...
 Penn Center Overview | Let's Go!

Video

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Penn Center Overview | Let's Go!
Penn Center is one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. The historic campus is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and...
Penn Center Photo Gallery | Let's Go!

Photo

Grades

  • 4
  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
Penn Center Photo Gallery | Let's Go!
The Penn Center, founded officially as the Penn School in 1865, is a campus of buildings dedicated to African American education in St. Helena Island, South Carolina. The original school grew out of...

Let's Go! / Booker T. Washington High School

3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!

Interactive

Grades

  • 5
  • 8
  • 11
3D VR - Booker T. Washington High School | Let's Go!
From 1915-1974, Booker T. Washington High School served as a separate educational system for young African-Americans in Columbia, South Carolina. The school began with elementary grades and became a...