D.C.鈥檚 Woodrow Wilson High School may soon have a partial name change.
It would still be called 鈥淲ilson High School鈥� by some, but its namesake would be an iconic playwright, rather than the nation’s 28th president, who was a segregationist.
On Tuesday, D.C. Public Schools鈥� chancellor Lewis Ferebee announced a proposal to rename it after the late August Wilson.
The Pittsburgh native鈥檚 works chronicled the African American experience in the 20th Century, in works like 鈥淔ences鈥� and 鈥淢a Rainey鈥檚 Black Bottom.鈥� Ferebee explained that Wilson鈥檚 works have been performed on D.C. stages for decades.
鈥淗is work is part of DCPS鈥� high school curriculum, allowing our scholars to explore the timeless themes represented in his words and characters,鈥� he said in a statement.
Wilson won both a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Best Play Tony Award in 1987 for 鈥淔ences.鈥� Three years later, he won another Pulitzer Prize for Drama for 鈥淭he Piano Lesson.”
The proposed name change follows over 2,000 nomination submissions and over 6,000 people sharing their opinions through a survey. DCPS said that overall, responses favored 鈥淎ugust Wilson High School鈥� as the preferred name 鈥� particularly among students and alumni.
鈥淚 am proud of the school community for their advocacy at this pivotal moment in the District鈥檚 history,鈥� Ferebee said.
鈥淎t DCPS, where a majority of our school leaders and students, and nearly half of our teachers identify as Black, we are committed to fulfilling the efforts of social activism and ensuring that the names we call our schools reflect our values and commitment to diversity.鈥�
The name change, which is subject to D.C. Council approval, could take effect as soon as this fall.
