"Colored Schools": Central Colored School

Other Name: Sixth Street School, Mary D. Hill School

Last Address: 542 W. Kentucky Street, at Sixth and Kentucky

Year Opened: 1873

Year Closed: 1894

This was the first school in Kentucky built with public funds solely for educating African-American children.  Central succeeded schools opened in rented quarters.  Following Central's opening, two other new schools were constructed and named Eastern Colored School and Western Colored School.  The school began with the elementary grades.  The high school division, added in 1885, became Central High.  Central Colored High School relocated in 1894 to Ninth and Magazine Streets due to overcrowding.  The old Central Colored School then became the Sixth Street School for white elementary students.