This story has been picked up by regional media; here’s a link to the story as it ran on Jacksonville’s Times-Union site. and it is one of national importance. The school, which has seen notoriety before, including being Nell Carter’s alma mater, makes history again today as a somewhat symbolic event takes place.

As the piece, originally run by the Birmingham News, makes a point to say, it’s an event that could have slipped through the cracks (and that probably was more along the lines of what Ms. Wadsworth and her classmates would have liked to see) save for the fact that it IS graduation. But considering the school’s importance for more than 100 years as a place where the city’s African-American population could go, it is definitely one of significance. This NPR story from 2004 puts the event into context and provides a reason as to why it is so important.

Congratulations to Crystal Wadsworth, the entire graduating class of 2007 at Parker High School, and ALL of our area graduates!