Willie Zempel
Feature/Entertainment Editor
Men’s Varsity basketball team will wear purple and gold uniforms to commemorate Douglass High School on Feb. 21, against Parkway North.
Douglass High School was the only African-American high school located in St. Louis County to be accredited by the state. It was also accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and was known for its rigorous academic standards and outstanding faculties. In 1956, Douglass High School merged with Webster Groves High School.
Each February, the basketball team honors Douglass High School’s alumni and history. Any Douglass alumni present at the game will be recognized. This will be the eighth year of the tradition.
“It’s great to honor their school and state championships that their basketball team achieved in the Negro Leagues. They have a great history, and it’s good for Webster students to hear about it,” Varsity basketball coach Jay Blossom said.
The cheerleaders also wear the purple and gold colors too. Blossom said they usually get their uniforms from Affton, who has the same colors as Douglass High School.
In the first year of this tradition, the school had Douglass alumni and the first integrated Webster students come into classes and talk to the students about the history of the school and the integration into Webster, according to Blossom.
“I teach history, so it’s great to remember what an outstanding school Douglass High School was. It was really cool to see what these alumni had to say about the history of Webster, and I wish we could have continued this every year,” Blossom said.
