History
McKinley Technical High School: History
The original McKinley school was built in 1901 as an offshoot of Central High School (now Cardozo Senior High School), was called William McKinley Technical High School and was located at 7th and Rhode Island NW, in the District of Columbia. The United States Congress allocated $26 million in 1926 for the construction of the existing building at 2nd and T Street NE.
Current School Background
The school was exclusively for white residents of the City of Washington until integrated with other DC schools by an Executive Order by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in June 1954. The school underwent a rapid change in the ethnic groups attending the school, similar to other schools in Washington, DC, and was a majority African-American school by 1960. The school continued to offer outstanding programs in printing, automotive technology, and other technical fields. Enrollment fell from a peak of 2400 in the late 1960s to approximately 500 in the mid-1990s. The school was selected for closure during the period of the congressionally authorized financial control board. The school was shuttered in June 1997.
The school reopened on September 1, 2004 with grades 9 and 10. On August 28, 2006 the school had
a complete program with grades 9-12 and an enrollment of 800 students.
Mascot Logo Controversy
From the school’s beginning, we were called Techite for the technical emphasis placed upon the curriculum.
Our logo was the Circle-T: Tubal Cain.
The new generation of McKinley students prefer their new logo, Rising Phoenix.
Read about this issue over McKinley Tech’s Identity.
Join the alumni committee or send your voice to the school.
President William McKinley
William McKinley was the twenty-fifth president of the United States. Born in Niles, Ohio January 29, 1843 and served in the military, congress and became president in 1897 and was assassinated in 1901.
To learn more about our school’s namesake:
Wikipedia: William McKinley