There’s quite the buzz along Seabrook Road in anticipation of Friday’s kickoff of the Golden Legacy Centennial Celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of E.E. Smith High School.
It’s being billed as “Honoring Our History, Inspiring Our Future,” and the celebration begins with the unveiling of the Wall of Fame Legacy Kiosk, which is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the school.
“The National Association of E.E. Smith Alumni and Friends, headed by Dr. Sharon McDonald Evans, class of 1984, is planning a yearlong centennial celebration, and the September 18 dedication will provide a fitting beginning to that observance,” said John Brown, class of 1966.
The sixth annual Wall of Fame event honors former athletes who have excelled in athletics and others who have contributed to Golden Bulls pride in football, basketball, baseball, softball, tennis, volleyball, and track and field.
Inductees-elect are:
- Alecia Hardy, volleyball, basketball and track and field, 2014
- Tiffany Haywood Jones, basketball and volleyball, 2006
- Audly Wehner, basketball, 2002
- Jasun Thompson, football, 1998
- Tarrell Robinson, basketball, 1997
- 1990 football team led by running back Junior Smith that finished 13-1
- William Boulware, track and field, 1986
- Cynthia Denise Jones, basketball, volleyball, softball and track and field, 1985
- 1979 unbeaten boys mile relay team of Alexander Hepburn, Allen Pierce, Andre McCallum and Ben Major Jr.
- Adonis “Sporty” Jeralds, football, basketball and tennis, 1977
- Joe Gillespie, football, 1962
- William Paul Shipman, football and basketball, 1960
- Douglas McMillan, football, basketball and baseball, 1958
- E.E. Miller and John Griffin, who served as school principals, are being inducted posthumously in the contributor category.
“Mr. Miller served as principal from 1940 to 1971 after teaching at the school from 1933 to 1940,” Brown said. “He strongly supported athletics, helped ensure that teams had the equipment they needed and hired hall of fame coaches D.S. Kelly, D.T. Carter, Ike Walker, William Carver, and Ida Askew. His tenure included the boys’ basketball team’s 1950 3-A state championship, the football team’s 1967 4-A state championship and its 1968 4-A co-championship. He also oversaw construction of the Washington Drive and Seabrook Road schools, and D. T. Carter Stadium.”
Griffin, a 1953 graduate of E.E. Smith, was principal from 1973-1993.
“Dr. Griffin maintained a strong presence at athletic events, ensured teams had necessary equipment, hired hall of fame coaches Roy McNeill and Martin Rickman, and oversaw the implementation of Title IX and a full interscholastic sports program for girls,” Brown said. “His tenure included the boys’ basketball team’s 1986 state runner-up season, the football team’s 13–1 ‘Golden Season’ in 1990 and the naming of D.T. Carter Stadium.”
Formal inductions are scheduled for May 30, 2027, at the Crown Complex.
“Friday’s event is simply an introduction of the class,” Brown said, “to the homecoming crowd.”
Supporters donated nearly $30,000 to cover the cost of purchasing and installing the kiosk.
About the Wall of Fame Legacy Kiosk
Among Friday’s scheduled speakers are:
- Principal Larry Parker Jr., class of 1991
- Jazmine Caldwell, the current Student Government Association president
- Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin, class of 1991
- Sharon McDonald Evans, class of 1984, who is chair of the National Association of E.E. Smith Alumni and Friends
- Gene McLean, class of 1964, who is president of the E.E. Smith Alumni Sports Hall of Fame
- Rev. Bernard Hayes, class of 1971, who is chaplain of the National Association of E. E. Smith Alumni and Friends, and will deliver kiosk dedication remarks.
Colvin is in his fifth term as mayor.
“I’m not coming to this as the mayor,” he said Tuesday. “I’m coming as a Golden Bull. In 1927, a community that had been told to wait built a high school anyway, and a hundred years later, E.E. Smith is still one of the most reliable producers of leadership this city has. The pride in the Golden Bull family is unmatched anywhere in the country.”
Brown, vice president of the E.E. Smith Alumni Sports Hall of Fame, will lead the unveiling of the Wall of Fame Legacy Kiosk.
“The kiosk will be permanently located in the school’s atrium, just outside the Media Center,” he said. “It will serve as an archive of E.E. Smith’s history and will highlight the school’s distinction as one of the last five historically Black high schools still operating in North Carolina.”
He said the digital kiosk also will feature current athletic teams, clubs, and other activities.
“Originally proposed as a place to house the E.E. Smith Alumni Sports Hall of Fame, the kiosk will give the hall of fame a prominent place,” Brown said. “A centennial section will recognize families with at least three generations of E.E. Smith graduates and include a ‘Legacy of Queens’ feature highlighting homecoming queens and Miss E.E. Smith winners through the years. We are especially proud of a section honoring military veterans, including a special tribute to those who were killed in action.”
Epilogue
Brown says you can feel the anticipation of what is about to unfold prior to Friday’s football game at D.T. Carter Stadium, where at 7 p.m. the Golden Bulls will host Gray’s Creek.
“There is a great deal of excitement building among alumni as we approach the centennial.” Brown said. “For generations, E.E. Smith has represented educational opportunity, achievement, tradition and community pride. Its continued operation carries special meaning for alumni and the broader E.E. Smith community.”
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
