ALUMNI PICNIC - SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 (10AM - 7PM)
Our History
How it Started
Ensley High School was founded in 1901 to serve the Ensley neighborhood of Birmingham, centered around major plants operated by U.S. Steel and the American Cast Iron Pipe Company. Classes were first held at the old Bush School before 1908, when a newer building designed by David O. Whilldin was completed in 1910. Whilldin was responsible for designing notable Birmingham landmarks such as Legion Field and the Thomas Jefferson Hotel. When Ensley was annexed into the city of Birmingham, the high school was absorbed into the city’s school system. For most of its life, Ensley was, along with
Phillips, Ramsay, Woodlawn, and West End, one of Birmingham's "Big Five" high schools with notable academic and athletic traditions and rivalries.
How it Went
Ensley High School was an all-white school until September 1964, when the school was integrated, thankfully without any major incidents. The student body shifted to primarily African-American by the mid-1970s due to the major loss of the steelworks and persistent racism and segregation in the Birmingham area. In later decades the high school was repositioned as a "magnet school" within the Birmingham system.
How it Ended
Ensley Magnet High School was closed following the 2005–2006 academic year. In May 2006, the school's last graduating class, 134 strong, received their diplomas. In the fall of 2006, Ensley High School was merged into newly built Jackson-Olin High School. From this closure, alumni were desperate to remain connected and adamant about keeping the legacy of Ensley Magnet High School alive. Thus, the alumni picnic was birth.
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 17, 2018 there was a fire that destroyed the old Ensley High School building.
The property was purchased in 2019 by the Birmingham City Council from the Board of Education for $50,000, with plans on soliciting proposals for redevelopment. In February 2021, a proposal was put forward by Zimmerman Properties of Atlanta, Georgia, with David Baker Architects to demolish the main school building and convert the gymnasium into a produce market or grocery store. The rest of the property would be redeveloped for 244 residential units and a 43,308-square-foot garage.
The Birmingham City Council agreed to the proposal, selling the property for $50,000 and providing $1.5 million towards the project in the form of a grant. Demolition of the high school and surrounding structures began in November 2021.
Article: Demolition of Ensley High School
EHS Info
Years: 1910-2006
Location: 2301 Ave J
Grades: 9-12
Colors: Black & Gold
Mascot: Yellow Jackets