McDonogh 35 High School, New Orleans, Louisiana

History of McDonogh 35 High School

McDonogh 35 Senior High is a college preparatory high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Named after John McDonogh, a mid-nineteenth century entrepreneur who provided grants for public education of freed people of color in New Orleans, McDonogh 35 was the first public high school for African Americans in New Orleans.

A group of citizens petitioned the New Orleans Parish School System in 1917 to convert McDonogh 13 Boys’ School from a white elementary school to a secondary educational facility for African American students. The petition was accepted, and in the fall of 1917, McDonogh 35 became the first four- year high school for African Americans in New Orleans until the L. B. Landry Elementary School transitioned into a high school in 1942. Booker T, Washington High School also opened in 1942.

The original building was at 655 South Rampart Street. Hurricane Betsy destroyed the school in 1965 and it was temporarily located in the former United Stated Federal Court House Building at 600 Camp Street. In 1969 the school moved into a facility at 133 St. Ann Street, formerly McDonogh 41 Elementary School. In 1972 the school relocated to 1331 Kerlerec Street in the Treme’ neighborhood. In late August, 2005, the school became a casualty of Hurricane Katrina , It re-opened in April 13, 2006 .

Presently, McDonogh 35 High School is located on a 16-acre site in the Bayou District of New Orleans at 4000 Cadillac Street, the former Phillips/Waters school site. The current facility opened on August 20, 2015.