RESOLUTION NO. 040875

Honoring Lincoln High (now Lincoln College Preparatory Academy) and R.T. Coles Vocational/Junior High School.

WHEREAS, Lincoln High School was originally founded in 1865 to educate black children of the newly freed slaves. During the early stages of development and growth the school survived several relocations and various academic reorganizations with the elementary grade school curriculum being added in 1869 and the high school department being officially organized in 1886; and

WHEREAS, in 1860, Richard T. Coles came to Kansas City and was appointed to teach in the Lincoln School, the first public school for Negros. He was a teacher and principal in the Kansas City school system for 50 years; and

WHEREAS, in 1936, the Board adopted the name R.T. Coles Vocational/Junior High School. Through the years, Lincoln High and R.T. Coles has graduated students who excelled academically; and

WHEREAS, Lincoln High became a magnet school changing its name to Lincoln College Preparatory Academy and has remained open and continually operated as an integrated school in the Kansas City School District; and

WHEREAS, in 1988, the Lincoln High/R.T. Coles National Alumni Association was formed with the goal being to maintain an ongoing relationship between the individuals who either attended or graduated from Lincoln High, R.T. Coles and Lincoln College Preparatory Academy and to rediscover, develop, preserve and promote awarenss of the heritage the schools have provided; and

WHEREAS, in April, 2002, Lincoln High (Lincoln College Preparatory Academy) was designated as a historical site; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby honor Lincoln High (now Lincoln College Preparatory Academy) and R.T. Coles Vocational/Junior High School; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that a copy hereof be presented to Ronald L. Walton, Mary T. White, Reginald C. Taylor and A. Ralph Brown in token of the appreciation of the Mayor, Council and citizens of Kansas City for the more than 100 years of outstanding teaching that these schools have been providing the children of this community.

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