For some of you this is a repeat and an update.  For others, this request is new.  Rosemary Anderson Davis, Class of '56 (Principal Anderson's daughter) has asked the National Alumni to assist with this project.

She wrote a letter informing us that after discussing the closing of Roosevelt with a friend, they talked about writing an article to honor and preserve the special legacy of Roosevelt and a few other Black high schools now closed across the country. The article would be featured in the educational journal, "Gifted Child Today". Ms. Davis would be writing the article with this friend and former colleague, Dr. Susan Johnsen. Dr. Johnsen is the editor of the journal. The article would explore the rich history of segregated schools and what we lost after integration. What was special about the school's culture and what characteristics would benefit students today?

Speaking with another friend, Martha Mallard Mitchell, Class of '58 (Coach Mallard's daughter) commented, "What was the special 'Roosevelt Sauce' that gave all of these Black girls and boys the belief, the drive, the determination that they could compete and excel in a broader society that didn't particularly care to acknowledge their existence?" 

To date,  Ms. Davis has received survey responses from alumni in graduating classes ranging from 1936 to 1994.  What is particularly unique about the Roosevelt experience is the fact that Roosevelt was a K-12 comprehensive school unlike other Black high schools that were 9th  through 12th grades. 

The National Alumni continues to support this project. The article could be just one component in the much greater movement to honor and repurpose Roosevelt. We would like you to contribute your thoughts concerning your experience at Roosevelt by answering a few survey questions.

Thank you for your participation. Please encourage any other Rooseveltian you know to share their thoughts.