The Gadsden Job Corps Grad-90 and CTR students had the privilege of visiting The Bettye Knowles Central Carver Legacy Museum located here in Gadsden, Alabama. Carver High School was the first of many schools in the state named in honor of the great scientist, Dr. George Washington Carver. It was built in Gadsden in 1936 and was the city’s first full 12-year public school for African American students. The Central-Carver Museum features an expansive collection of photographs chronicling the school’s rich history.
The Carver Museum is one of the landmarks in the Gadsden Area. During our tour, Mr. Claude Burnette stated that the entrance section would be dedicated to James “Jimmy” Hood of Gadsden, one of the first blacks to integrate the University of Alabama along with Mrs. Vivian Malone Jones. The Central-Carver Museum, which was completed in March of 2006, showcases the spirit of excellence and determination of Central-Carver High School administrators, instructors, and students through archival information and an array of cultural activities. The Museum is located just two miles from the Gadsden Job Corps Center. Our students were delighted to learn that the very campus they live on was founded by a Carver High School Alumnus, Mr. Eugene Prater. The Museum meets community needs through activities designed to increase community involvement and pride.