Through These Doors

Our story begins over 50 years ago in West Palm Beach, FL, home to the once-thriving, all-Black Roosevelt High School. In 1970, under mounting pressure to desegregate, the county’s school system shut the high school down and mandated that predominantly black families relocate to other school districts over a 38-day period. The results were devastating. Over time, the vibrant community that once stood as a shining example of the African-American diaspora was left abandoned, in disrepair, and overcome by crime and neglect.

Since the school’s closure, the proud alumni of Roosevelt High have been fighting tirelessly to restore the “beacon of their community.” The alumni, with the help of the Quantum Foundation, commissioned Stinghouse Creative to tell their story to raise awareness locally of the significance of the Roosevelt High restoration project. This story shows that with determination, hope, and the power of community, we can begin to heal the wounds of the past. This project serves as an example of how we can work together to build better futures while also preserving the legacy and memory of the people who built the communities we live in today.

Since this was filmed, the West Palm Beach School Board has agreed to fund the restoration of the high school into a community center. Additional funds, with the use of this video, are in process of being raised to fund the programming and specific initiatives within the restored school to benefit the community.