Marshall Academy is a 3-K to 12th grade college preparatory school in

Holly Springs, Mississippi Holly Springs is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Mississippi, Marshall County, Mississippi, United States, near the border with Tennessee to the north. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 6,96 ...

that opened in 1968. The school's teams compete as the Patriots and Lady Patriots.

History

Marshall Academy opened in 1968 during the era of

desegregation Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation), leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws ...

when many

segregation academy Segregation academies are private schools in the Southern United States that were founded in the mid-20th century by white parents to avoid having their children attend Racial segregation in the United States, desegregated public schools. They ...

schools opened catering to families that opposed integration and did not want their children to go to school with African Americans. The school began with 150 students in grades 1 through 8 in temporary facilities leased from the First Baptist, First Methodist, and Christ Episcopal Churches. A high School, a pre-school, and kindergarten were added in 1969. In 1985, Marshall Academy chairman A.Q. Greer told the ''Clarion-Ledger'' that "The level of education in public schools just dropped at integration, and we were just trying to provide a superior education". Marshall Academy's website states that it admits students of any race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin and that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or ethnic origin in the administration policies, athletics, or other school-administered programs. Also according to the school's website, the school is 86% white (2024) as compared to Marshall County from which the school draws its students which is approximately 50% white.

Sports

In 1969 it joined The Northern Division of an athletic conference with Fayette Academy of

Somerville, Tennessee Somerville is a town in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area. The population was 3,415 at the 2020 census, up from 3,094 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fayette County. History The ...

, Tunica Institute of Learning of

Tunica, Mississippi Tunica is a town in and the county seat of Tunica County, Mississippi, United States, near the Mississippi River. Until the early 1990s when casino gambling was introduced in the area, Tunica had been one of the most impoverished places in the U ...

Kirk Academy Kirk Academy is a K-12 Christian school in Grenada, Mississippi. It is part of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS). In 1966, when the public schools in Grenada County were integrated, some of the most violent acts of the civi ...

Grenada, Mississippi Grenada () is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. Founded in 1836, the population was 13,092 at the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County, Mississippi, Gre ...

, Bayou Academy of Skene, and Pillow Academy in

Leflore County, Mississippi Leflore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,339. The county seat is Greenwood. The county is named for Choctaw leader Greenwood LeFlore, who signed a treaty to cede his pe ...

. In 2017 the school's softball team coached by Carlton Gibson became Class AA MAIS champions. The team also won MAIS championships in 2007 and 2008. In 2017 the school's football team competed in the Southeastern Commission of Independent Schools Kickoff Classic in Montgomery Alabama. In 2017 alumnus Traci Rodgers became coach of the Lady Patriots basketball team.

Alumni

Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...

reporter

Shepard Smith David Shepard Smith Jr. (born January 14, 1964) is an American former broadcast journalist. He served as chief general news anchor and host of '' The News with Shepard Smith'' on CNBC, a daily evening newscast launched in late September 2020; b ...

went to Marshall Academy and graduated in the class of 1982. In a 2005 interview he said his class was the largest in the school's history when he graduated with about 60 others. After high school he moved to Florida with his mom before returning to Mississippi to study journalism at the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

References

External links

* {{coord, 34.760498, -89.461242, display=title Private schools in Mississippi Buildings and structures in Holly Springs, Mississippi Educational institutions established in 1968 1968 establishments in Mississippi