Central High School (Louisville)

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Central High school
Established	1870
Type	Public Secondary
Principal	Dr. Dan Withers
Grades	9–12
Location	Louisville, Kentucky ,USA
District	Jefferson County Public Schools
Campus	Urban
Colors	Yellow █ and Black █
Mascot	Yellowjackets
Website	Central High School

Formally known as Louisville Central High School Magnet Career Academy, Central High School is a public high school in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.

1 Overview
2 Magnet programs offered
3 Racial preference controversy
4 Notable alumni
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Overview

Specializing in preparing students for professional careers, Central offers many magnet programs. As an all-magnet school, it has no home district, instead bringing in students from throughout the Jefferson County Public School System.

Louisville Central High School and the rest of the Louisville school system played a part in both integration efforts and the Cold War. In 1957, as many around the world began to take notice of racial problems within the United States, the United States Information Agency produced promotional materials touting "The Louisville Story" as an example of peaceful integration.

In the 1950s, Central High School also won three national basketball high school championships.

Central High School is located at 1130 W. Chestnut Street, and the principal is Dan Withers.

[edit] Magnet programs offered

[edit] Racial preference controversy

As a legacy of desegregation, in Jefferson County in Louisville there are still guidelines for the proper racial make-up of high schools. All high schools are required to maintain a percentage of African-American students between 15 and 50%. Central has often had to turn away qualified African-American students in order to keep from going over the 50% limit.

This has led to a number of court cases in recent years, with the rules being overturned and reinstated. It is still a contentious issue.

[edit] Notable alumni

Muhammad Ali
Lenny Lyles

[edit] References

Dudziak, Mary L., The Louisville Story: Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2000).