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The Washington School is now an elementary magnet school within the Wake County Public School System, but the origins of Washington go all the way back to the late 1860s. The building that stands today was built in 1923 and was Raleigh's first public Black high school, but the school first began as one of North Carolina's earliest schools for African American children and was originally established by Northern, Christian missionaries. It grew to become an important incubator of Black genius and was a cultural and community landmark for Raleigh's African American community. According to J.W. Yeargin -- one of the community leaders who helped found the Black High School -- Washington was once the only school in America for African American children located on the main street of a state capitol.

This is the first of a two-part series on Washington. Part 1 dives into the origins of the Washington School; how it got started, who it's named for, and the movement to establish Raleigh's first public high school for African Americans in the early decades of the 20th century. Part 2 will examine the legacies of Washington right up to the present day. Join co-hosts Dr. Chaunte Garrett and Michael Parker West as they learn from some brilliant guests to bring these important stories​ to life.