Eastern High School is a public high school in Washington, D.C. The school is located in the Hill East neighborhood at the intersection of 17th Street and East Capitol Street NE. Eastern was a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools restructuring and modernization project, reopening in 2011 to incoming first-year students and growing by a grade level each year. It graduated its first class in 2015. In addition, Eastern was designated an International Baccalaureate school in 2013 and awarded its first IB diploma in 2015.
Eastern is part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. It was founded in 1890 as the Capitol Hill High School. It was later relocated and rebuilt in the Collegiate Gothic style and renamed Eastern Senior High School. It is one of the oldest continuously operating high schools in the District of Columbia. The campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Eastern High School, as it is known today, was founded in 1890 as Capitol Hill High School. It was established in the Peabody Elementary School building at 5th and C Streets NE. The school served an all-white student body of 170 students and a teaching staff of 7. As time progressed, the school gained popularity, prompting its relocation to a new site at 7th and C Streets S.E. in 1892. Alongside the move, the school changed its name to Eastern High School, and its student body continued to expand. In 1909, the community rallied to construct a new school building, ultimately selecting the current location in 1914âÂÂ1915. However, the onset of World War I caused a delay in the construction process.
Snowden Ashford, a municipal architect, was chosen to create the blueprint for the new school. The Eastern Alumni Association strongly encouraged Ashford to deviate from his preferred Elizabethan and Collegiate Gothic style and instead design the new school in the more popular Colonial Revival style. However, Ashford's vision ultimately prevailed. He completed the designs for the school in 1921 and subsequently resigned from his position as Municipal Architect. Eastern High School became the last public school in the District to be constructed in the Collegiate Gothic style. Albert L. Harris, who succeeded Ashford, oversaw the final design and construction of the school.
The new Eastern High School building, built by the Charles H. Tompkins Company Incorporated in 1923, was situated at 17th and East Capitol Streets N.E. Charles R. Hart, who was principal of Eastern High School from 1918 to 1945, led the school during the construction of its new building. In memory of the alums who died in the Spanish-American War and World War I, a memorial flagstaff was erected in front of the building. The old Eastern High School building was eventually demolished to make way for Hine Jr. High School. When the students moved to the new facility, the enrollment exceeded 1,000. As the surrounding neighborhood of Eastern High School continued to grow, the school's capacity reached 3,000 students by 1934. To address the overcrowding issue, students who lived east of the Anacostia River were redirected to Anacostia High School.
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court made a significant decision regarding the desegregation of public schools. Specifically, in the case of Bolling vs. Sharpe, the court declared that the practice of racial segregation within the DC public school system was unconstitutional, as it violated the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Consequently, new school boundaries were established to address this issue. Subsequently, in the autumn of 1954, the first African-American students who had previously attended Cardozo (Central) and Spingarn High Schools were transferred to Eastern, resulting in an African-American student population of 1.4%. However, within a span of ten years, Eastern transformed, with the African-American student population reaching an overwhelming majority of 99%.
During the 1960s, significant milestones took place at Eastern High School, primarily involving its African-American student population. In 1964, Mr. Madison W. Tignor became the first African-American principal to serve Eastern. Recognizing the lack of curriculum that represented the Black experience and culture, students formed a collective called the Modern Strivers. In 1968, with community support, they founded the Freedom School, which employed committed educators. This institution offered Eastern students the chance to participate in classes off-campus that focused on Black History and culture in addition to their regular coursework.
In the 1980s, the school underwent its first modernization phase. This included the installation of new windows, flooring, and parabolic troffer lighting in classrooms, as well as the addition of new stairwells, paint, fire doors, bathrooms, and the restoration of the auditorium, along with an overhaul of the elevator. Furthermore, significant improvements were made to the gymnasium. Unfortunately, a devastating fire broke out in the gymnasium on July 16, 1984, resulting in approximately $1 million in damages and causing a 2-year delay in the gym's completion.
Eastern High School was renowned for its exceptional marching band and its world-renowned choir. The Blue And White Marching Machine has graced national stages and even performed at presidential inaugurations. The Eastern High School choir, under the direction of Dr. Joyce Garrett, has captivated audiences at major national events, impressing Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. They have also showcased their talent through televised performances, provided backup vocals for popular artists, and even embarked on international tours. Notably, in 1988, the Eastern choir participated in the International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, Austria, where they secured the silver medal.
In 2021, DC's redistricting of Wards moved Eastern from Ward 6 to Ward 7. The school's boundaries and feeder patterns, however, have remained the same. Neighborhoods within Eastern's boundaries include Capitol Hill, Navy Yard, Hill East, Kingman Park and Near Northeast.
The following elementary schools feed into Eastern:
The following middle schools feed into Eastern:
The following K-8 schools feed into Eastern:
The school offers ten different athletic programs.
Eastern has had many notable alumni in academia, the arts, entertainment, journalism, media, the military, government, politics, and sports.