Escambia High School

For the high school in Alabama, see Escambia County High School (Alabama).

Escambia High School
Location
1310 North 65th Avenue

Pensacola, Florida
32506

United States
Coordinates30°25′37″N 87°17′57″W / 30.42694°N 87.29917°W / 30.42694; -87.29917
Information
TypePublic
MottoWe don't hide our Gator pride!
Established1957
School districtEscambia County School District
SuperintendentKeith Leonard [2]
PrincipalDana Boddy [1]
Staff56.95 (FTE)[3]
Enrollment1,654 (2023–2024)[3]
Student to teacher ratio29.04[3]
Colors  Navy
  Orange
Team nameGators
NewspaperGator Gazette
YearbookThe Escambian
StadiumEmmitt Smith Field
WebsiteEscambia High School

Escambia High School (EHS) is a public high school located in Pensacola, Florida. It is one of seven high schools in the Escambia County School District.[4]

History

Escambia High School opened for the 1957–58 school year. Its first graduating class in 1959 was composed of 207 students. A large number of the first EHS students came from Pensacola High School.[5]

Mascot riots

Escambia High School was forcibly desegregated in 1969.[6] Several racially motivated demonstrations at the then-newly school occurred between 1972 and 1977. These demonstrations involved figures such as local civil rights activist Rev. H.K Matthews[7] and the Ku Klux Klan.[6]

Since the school's integration, Black students frequently protested Escambia's "Rebel" mascot (modeled after the University of Mississippi's "Colonel Reb"), the use of Dixie as the school's official song, and the flying of the Confederate flag at school events.[8]

On July 24, 1973, a United States District Court ruling deemed the school's use of these symbols to be "racially irritating" and barred their use at Escambia. However, the Escambia County School District successfully appealed the decision in 1975.[6]

The school board victory led to calls for a return of the Rebel nickname, and increased tensions within the school. The tension culminated in 1976 with a riot that resulted in four students being shot. It was estimated that three-quarters of Escambia's students at the time were involved in the riot.[6] Shortly thereafter, a member of the Pensacola-Escambia Human Relations Commission and State Representative R. W. Peaden's homes were destroyed by arson.[6] Due to the escalating violence, the Florida Highway Patrol and numerous local law enforcement agencies patrolled the school until the end of the year. In the spring of 1977, after hearing the court's final decision that the "Rebels" nickname would not be reinstated, students chose "Gators" as the permanent nickname.

On July 13, 1977, the Ku Klux Klan petitioned the Escambia County School District to hold a meeting at EHS. The Escambia student body president argued against the petition before the board, which ultimately voted 5-1 to reject the Klan's petition.[9]

The legacy of the mascot riots is a continued source of tension at Escambia. In 2018, citing concerns about potential plagiarism, school staff removed a section from that year's yearbook which discussed the history of the riots.[10]

Extracurricular programs

Marching band

Escambia's marching band is known as "The Pride". In 2024, the band was invited to Washington, D.C. to perform for the American Veterans Center's National Memorial Day Concert Series.[11]

NJROTC program

Established in 1967, Escambia's Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) program is one of the oldest such programs in the United States.[12] The program's "Gator Elite Battalion" has received several local, regional, and national commendations, and was named the "Most Outstanding Unit in the Nation" in 2014.[12]

Notable alumni

Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Joe Anoa'i 2003 CFL player and WWE wrestler, competes under the ring name Roman Reigns, two-time WWE Universal Champion, four-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWE Tag Team Champion (along with Seth Rollins), former WWE United States Champion, former WWE Intercontinental Champion. [13]
Bill Butler NFL player [14]
Jacob Copeland 2018 NFL player [15]
Joe Durant 1982 Pro Golfer [16]
Jonathan and Joshua Fatu 2003 Twin brothers and WWE wrestlers, compete under the ring names Jimmy and Jey Uso respectively, two-time WWE Tag Team Champions, five-time WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions
Preston Hanna 1972 MLB player [17]
Reggie Johnson 1986 NFL player [18]
Waymond Jordan 2023 College football player [19]
Jim Presley 1979 MLB player [17][20]
Trent Richardson 2009 College football player, 2011 All-American, 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, two time BCS National Champion, 2011 Doak Walker Award Winner, third overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. [21]
Ahtyba Rubin 2004 NFL player [22]
Kevin Saucier 1974 MLB player [17]
Emmitt Smith 1987 NFL player, all-time leading rusher in NFL history. [23]
Emory Smith 1992 NFL player [24]
Ken Wright 1964 MLB player [25]

References

  1. ^ "High Schools". Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Escambia County Public Schools". Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "ESCAMBIA HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  4. ^ "High Schools". escambiaschools.org. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "Escambia High School Class of 1962: Memory Lane". Retrieved April 10, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wayne King (March 7, 1976). "Racial Animosity Turns to Violence in Pensacola, Fla., on Issue of Calling High School Teams 'Rebels'". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  7. ^ MELISSA NELSON. "Pensacola embraces activist it once shunned". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
  8. ^ "A dubious demise". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
  9. ^ Pensacola News Journal article dated July 14, 1977. "Board turns down Klan meeting plea" by Journal Staff writer Marry Barrineau
  10. ^ Newby, Jake (May 11, 2018). "Escambia High rewrites yearbook page on school's racial history, claims student plagiarized". Pensacola New Journal. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  11. ^ "Washington D.C. Performance". escambiaband.boosterhub.com. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "NJROTC History". escambiahighschoolnjrotc.com. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  13. ^ "Joe Anoai". Georgia Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  14. ^ "Bill Butler". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "Jacob Copelan profile".
  16. ^ "Integrity on Tour and Beyond". Ethics Daily. Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  17. ^ a b c "Escambia - Pensacola, FL". The Baseball Cube. Archived from the original on August 15, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
  18. ^ "Reggie Johnson bio at Florida State".
  19. ^ 'A dream come true': Top JUCO RB, former Escambia standout Waymond Jordan Jr. signs with USC
  20. ^ "Jim Presley". Florida Marlins. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
  21. ^ Official bio at Alabama Archived 2009-12-16 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "NFL Players | Past & Current NFL Players".
  23. ^ "The List: Best high school athletes ever". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
  24. ^ "'Other Smith' puts power into Clemson attack". Tampa Bay Times. September 10, 1993. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  25. ^ "Ken Wright profile".
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