Sims High School was a former segregated

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

for African American students, active from 1927 until 1970 in

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

, Union County, South Carolina. It was the first Black high school in Union County. A historical marker (number 44-8) was erected in 2004 in the city of Union to commemorate the former school. When the high school closed the school building was used by Sims Middle School from 1970 until 2009.

History

Sims High School was founded in 1927. Rev. A. A. Sims (1872–1965) served as principal from its establishment until 1951. In 1929, it became the first state-accredited high school for African-Americans in

Upstate South Carolina The Upstate is the region in the westernmost part of South Carolina, United States, also known as the Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerc ...

. Sims was succeeded as principal by

James F. Moorer James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

from 1951 to 1969. Moorer also coached the football team and from 1946 to 1954, and recorded 93 consecutive conference wins for 8 years straight. A new Sims High School building opened in 1956 at 200 Sims Drive in Union. C. A. Powell, a white man, was the high school’s final principal from 1969 to 1970. In 1970, it was converted to Sims Middle School, an integrated junior high school, and then closed in 2009. A new Sims Middle School building subsequently opened. Oral interviews of graduates, and a 2006 reunion were held for the high school. A historical marker was added in 2004, to commemorated the school's history. Alumni include the first Black head coach in NCAA Division I-A football, the first coach of a black college basketball team in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), and the first black Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army.

Willie Jeffries Willie E. Jeffries (born January 4, 1937) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at South Carolina State University for 19 seasons in two stints, five seasons at Wichita State University, and five sea ...

played for coach James Moorer, and he went on to coach South Carolina State University. Architect Lester Oliver Bankhead is thought to have attended the school. Former Sims teacher Janie Goree was elected mayor of

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern England, Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers River Eden, Cumbria, Eden, River C ...

in 1978. In 2020, the school building was still in good condition and it was suggested it be re-opened as an elementary school.

References

{{Coord, 34.707167, -81.61795, display=title High schools in South Carolina 1927 establishments in South Carolina 1970 disestablishments in South Carolina Historically segregated African-American schools in South Carolina Educational institutions established in 1927 Educational institutions disestablished in 1970 Education in Union County, South Carolina