The Sumner Story: Capturing Our History Preserving Our Legacy

For the first three quarters of the twentieth century, in the heart of our nation, there thrived a safe haven which nurtured great aspirations of thousands of African American youth and their families. “The Sumner Story” highlights the history of a segregated high school which became recognized for the stellar academic performance of its students. Highly qualified faculty who believed in the students’ ability to achieve prepared them for a world of competition, hard knocks, compromises and closed doors. The story also denotes and illuminates outstanding career successes of alumni.

In a socially and economically segregated nation, black students who had a “Sumner-like” experience were very fortunate because their schools served as clear windows and powerful springboards to promising possibilities. In this regard, nine other segregated high schools are reviewed. Insights can be gained from this story on how to resolve the plight of low-performing schools in socially and economically disadvantaged communities.

Dr. Wilma F. Bonner, Director of Teacher Education at Howard University, worked thirty-seven years in the District of Columbia Public Schools. She served as principal, Assistant Superintendent of Senior High Schools and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. She supervised the adoption of standards in reading, mathematics, social studies and science and spearheaded the development of new promotion and graduation requirements for the District.

Sandra Freelain, earned her MA in Public Administration. She served as Desk Officer and Enforcement Analyst for the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for 20 years. As part of the Sumner Writing Team she gained a much deeper respect and renewed gratitude for the contributions of those who founded, and sustained Sumner High School. Sandra is enjoying her recent retirement.

Dwight D. Henderson, was elected president of the class of 1963. He received a basketball scholarship to Kansas State Teacher’s College. Dwight received his law degree from the University of Kansas with a specialization in contract and labor law and worked as project attorney for Standard/Amoco/British Petroleum Oil Company until his retirement.

Johnnieque Blackmon "Johnnie" Love's professional career spans forty-three years of public education. A former president of the Sumner High School Alumni Association, published writer of articles assessing diversity in the academic library, and dedicated historian of Sumner High School, Love lives in Beltsville, Maryland with her family.

Eugene M. Williams’ professional career spans 40+ years as a language arts instructor on the high school and college level and as administrator of two federal programs (Teacher Corps and Upward Bound). For the District of Columbia Public schools, Williams served as Co-Director of Values Education. He also served as educational consultant with the Saudi Arabian government in both Riyadh, SA as well as at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, D. C. More recently, has worked as career transition counselor for the Geo-Spatial Administration (GSA) and the U. S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in Washington, D. C.