Historical Marker

Our Legacy lives on

Preceded by Lexington Colored School, which operated at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, Montgomery School was established in 1923 for the education of Negro boys and girls of Lexington and Henderson County, a Rosenwald facility, it was organized as Montgomery High School in 1927. A new school building was completed in 1950 to serve a wider area, including Benton, Decatur, Madison, Perry, and Wayne counties. In highly segregated rural West Tennessee, it was a center for the African-American community. In 1967 the school closed because of desegregation. Montgomery High School was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 3, 2007.

How It All Began

The Montgomery Cultural and Enrichment Center was born from the resilience and vision of Lexington’s inner-city Black community. What began in the 1920s as the Lexington Colored School evolved through faith, family, and fierce dedication into Montgomery High School—a cornerstone of education, cultural pride, and opportunity.
Built between 1948 and 1950 with support from local families and Rosenwald funding, the school opened its doors as Montgomery High, serving Black students during segregation with dignity, academic excellence, and soul. It was more than a school—it was a village.
Over the years, this sacred space transformed again, growing from a place of learning into a beacon of legacy. Today, the Montgomery Cultural and Enrichment Center honors the elders who planted seeds of wisdom and the youth who now walk in their footsteps. This is not just history. It is a living story—still unfolding.

Legacy Milestones

  • 🌱 1923–1927

    Began as Lexington Colored School, moved and funded by community + Rosenwald grants

  • 🏫 1948–1950

    Montgomery School constructed; opens in 1950 as Lexington’s African-American high school.



  • 🎓 1960s

    Choir, basketball, science labs, and parent groups flourish.

  • 🏛 1989

    Alumni Association formally established (EIN: 58-1781766).

  • 🎭 1996–2007

    Active alumni reunions (1985, 1988, 1996); building listed on National Register of Historic Places in 2007

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Montgomery By the Numbers

Historical Publications