The Highlander Folk School was first established in 1932 in Monteagle, Grundy County, Tennessee. The founders of the school were Myles Horton and Don West, who was the owner of the land used for Highlander. The land had been donated by Dr. Lillian Johnson. Before Highlander became active in the Civil Rights Movement their main focus had been on labor relations. Myles Horton first conceived the notion of wanting to build a folk school after visiting Denmark in 1931 to 1932 and seeing the Danish folk schools in action. The Highlander Folk School began its career focusing on uses in labor before it moved on to the issue of segregation in the 1950s.
The labor movements Highlander focused on were for woodcutters, coal miners, government relief workers, textile workers, and farmers in the region. In 1932, Myles Horton also became involved in the Wilder coal strike taking place in Fentress County Tennessee. The coal workers were protesting against the low pay and unsafe working conditions. Unfortunately, the union president Graham was later shot by the company guards during the strike.
The education offered at Highlander was not the traditional education many people think of. The school was focused on organizing the unemployed and working people. Instead of classes Highlander offered workshops that worked to achieve the goals of helping ordinary people build upon their knowledge through experience and working collectively toward an understanding, humane society. Their workshops could last from two days to eight weeks in some cases, each one also focused on addressing different community problems. In 1937, Highlander also became the de facto CIO, Congress of Industrial Organizations, education center for the region that trained union organizers and leaders from eleven states. Post-World War Two though would see the relationship of Highlander and CIO break up over differences in labor priorities. The year 1939 would also see an attack against the school over the issue of communism. The Tennessean newspaper sent a reporter undercover to Highlander where he introduced himself as being a teacher. This reporter spent several days observing the school. The result of his actions came a few weeks later in the form of a six part series on the front page of the Tennessean claiming Highlander was a center for spreading communism across the south. Horton, of course, denied the claim as did many of the school allies who sent angry letters to the Tennessean in response to the article.
The Highlander Folk School also began to shift its focus toward fighting segregation in the labor movement. The school had its first black speaker in a workshop in 1934 but fully integrated workshops didn’t happen until 1944 because of the fear that there would be backlash from the local community and resistance from the unions. In 1944, leaders of the United Auto Workers and locals attended the first integrated workshop at Highlander. The policy of Highlander soon came to reflect the belief that the labor movement required confronting racism and segregation. Opposition leaders also began campaigns to name Highlander a communist school and to work toward closing their doors for good.
Highlander's mission from the beginning has been first and foremost, a resident adult education center. It does not engage in action programs or political activity. It teaches adults how to teach others to deal effectually with their common social problems (MacLean, 488).
Since the beginning of the school in 1932, Highlander's staff believed in integration. By the time Brown vs. The Board of Education was being discussed in the Supreme Court, Highlander was already holding workshops to help prepare various community stakeholders for school integration. These initial desegregation sessions at Highlander began nearly a year before the Supreme Court's decision. In 1954, Septima Clark, along with other participants, attended Highlander to join in the workshops. Here they discussed topics developed by the participants that dealt with common community issues, one of which included inability of many African Americans to vote due to voting law restrictions requiring voters to pass so-called literacy tests.
At Highlander, Septima Clark, along with Essau Jenkins, developed an adult literacy program in the Johns Island community in South Carolina. This program was initially sponsored by Highlander and later handed over to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led by Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. Founded in 1958, this adult education center was the beginning of the first Citizenship school in the South. Many credit this school for bringing more people into the integration movement and increasing the number of voting African Americans as well as encouraging community participation in civic issues.
In 1955, when Rosa Parks took a stand against segregated bus laws, Highlander sought to find a way to support Parks as well as the bus boycott. Parks attended desegregation workshops at Highlander in 1955 and stated: “That was the first time in my life I had lived in an atmosphere of complete equality with the members of the other race” (Glen, 162).
After Septima Clark was fired from the Charleston school system in 1956, Highlander hired her to direct the integration workshops and eventually became the full time workshop director. When Clinton High School struggled to integrate their schools in Clinton, TN, Clark and Highlander staff invited the African American students to come to the secluded school for a weekend retreat.
In 1957, Highlander expanded their workshops to include twelve sessions and a Labor Day celebration for the school's 25th anniversary. The Georgia Education Commission, an avid critic of the school, sent a man named Ed Friend to photograph the event. After this event, more criticism came claiming that the school was communist. In 1959, the school was raided and four staff were arrested and charged with possession of alcohol, drunkenness, and resisting arrest. Through this, Highlander continued workshops as planned. During this time, Highlander also began a Youth Project in 1960 and 1961. Much like the adult sessions, white and black students participated in sessions about school integration.
In 1961 The Tennessee Supreme Court revoked Highlander's charter and ordered that the school be closed.
The labor movements Highlander focused on were for woodcutters, coal miners, government relief workers, textile workers, and farmers in the region. In 1932, Myles Horton also became involved in the Wilder coal strike taking place in Fentress County Tennessee. The coal workers were protesting against the low pay and unsafe working conditions. Unfortunately, the union president Graham was later shot by the company guards during the strike.
The education offered at Highlander was not the traditional education many people think of. The school was focused on organizing the unemployed and working people. Instead of classes Highlander offered workshops that worked to achieve the goals of helping ordinary people build upon their knowledge through experience and working collectively toward an understanding, humane society. Their workshops could last from two days to eight weeks in some cases, each one also focused on addressing different community problems. In 1937, Highlander also became the de facto CIO, Congress of Industrial Organizations, education center for the region that trained union organizers and leaders from eleven states. Post-World War Two though would see the relationship of Highlander and CIO break up over differences in labor priorities. The year 1939 would also see an attack against the school over the issue of communism. The Tennessean newspaper sent a reporter undercover to Highlander where he introduced himself as being a teacher. This reporter spent several days observing the school. The result of his actions came a few weeks later in the form of a six part series on the front page of the Tennessean claiming Highlander was a center for spreading communism across the south. Horton, of course, denied the claim as did many of the school allies who sent angry letters to the Tennessean in response to the article.
The Highlander Folk School also began to shift its focus toward fighting segregation in the labor movement. The school had its first black speaker in a workshop in 1934 but fully integrated workshops didn’t happen until 1944 because of the fear that there would be backlash from the local community and resistance from the unions. In 1944, leaders of the United Auto Workers and locals attended the first integrated workshop at Highlander. The policy of Highlander soon came to reflect the belief that the labor movement required confronting racism and segregation. Opposition leaders also began campaigns to name Highlander a communist school and to work toward closing their doors for good.
Highlander's mission from the beginning has been first and foremost, a resident adult education center. It does not engage in action programs or political activity. It teaches adults how to teach others to deal effectually with their common social problems (MacLean, 488).
Since the beginning of the school in 1932, Highlander's staff believed in integration. By the time Brown vs. The Board of Education was being discussed in the Supreme Court, Highlander was already holding workshops to help prepare various community stakeholders for school integration. These initial desegregation sessions at Highlander began nearly a year before the Supreme Court's decision. In 1954, Septima Clark, along with other participants, attended Highlander to join in the workshops. Here they discussed topics developed by the participants that dealt with common community issues, one of which included inability of many African Americans to vote due to voting law restrictions requiring voters to pass so-called literacy tests.
At Highlander, Septima Clark, along with Essau Jenkins, developed an adult literacy program in the Johns Island community in South Carolina. This program was initially sponsored by Highlander and later handed over to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led by Dr. Martin Luther King, jr. Founded in 1958, this adult education center was the beginning of the first Citizenship school in the South. Many credit this school for bringing more people into the integration movement and increasing the number of voting African Americans as well as encouraging community participation in civic issues.
In 1955, when Rosa Parks took a stand against segregated bus laws, Highlander sought to find a way to support Parks as well as the bus boycott. Parks attended desegregation workshops at Highlander in 1955 and stated: “That was the first time in my life I had lived in an atmosphere of complete equality with the members of the other race” (Glen, 162).
After Septima Clark was fired from the Charleston school system in 1956, Highlander hired her to direct the integration workshops and eventually became the full time workshop director. When Clinton High School struggled to integrate their schools in Clinton, TN, Clark and Highlander staff invited the African American students to come to the secluded school for a weekend retreat.
In 1957, Highlander expanded their workshops to include twelve sessions and a Labor Day celebration for the school's 25th anniversary. The Georgia Education Commission, an avid critic of the school, sent a man named Ed Friend to photograph the event. After this event, more criticism came claiming that the school was communist. In 1959, the school was raided and four staff were arrested and charged with possession of alcohol, drunkenness, and resisting arrest. Through this, Highlander continued workshops as planned. During this time, Highlander also began a Youth Project in 1960 and 1961. Much like the adult sessions, white and black students participated in sessions about school integration.
In 1961 The Tennessee Supreme Court revoked Highlander's charter and ordered that the school be closed.
