Board approves historical marker to honor Jefferson High School

The York School District 1 board voted to allow the Culture and Heritage Museums of York County to install a South Carolina historical marker recognizing the history and legacy of Jefferson Graded School, later Jefferson High School.

Zach Lemhouse, the museum system’s staff historian, told the board the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission provided a grant that covers the entire cost of the marker and the application fee. “No monetary cost to York School District 1 or the museums for that matter because it’s being covered by that wonderful grant,” Lemhouse said, and added that museum staff would handle installation and maintenance.

Lemhouse outlined the proposed marker’s content and timeline, saying the draft marker text would be prepared around July 1 and that fabrication generally takes about six months after the application is submitted, making January 2025 the earliest likely installation date. He described the marker as a city‑sized state marker (24 by 36 inches) with text on both sides: one side about Jefferson Graded School and the other about Jefferson High School.

Steve Love, representing the Jefferson Remembered Alumni Group, urged commemoration and recalled a 1986 monument erected by alumni. The board discussed whether the district would review the final text; Lemhouse said he was “more than happy to come back and present the language” or email a draft to the board as a courtesy. The chair and board members agreed that review as a courtesy would be appreciated but that formal board approval of marker language was not required by the state process.

On a motion by Ms. Johnson, seconded by Miss Howell, the board approved the marker and the proposed location north of the Spruce and Pinckney Street intersection near the Rosenwald school site.

The board’s approval carries no fiscal obligation for the district and staff said the museums will coordinate utility clearance and installation.