Ligon Magnet's Fate: New Building, Old History

0:00Wake County Public School leaders plan to tear down the historic Ligon Magnum Middle School in Raleigh and replace it with a new building on the Sites Athletic Fields. Built in 1953 as the city's only black high school, the structure has stood for over 70 years as a key piece of local history. The school desegregated in 1973 and now faces serious problems by overcrowding and broken heating, ventilation and plumbing. District officials chose demolition over repairs to fix these issues without major interruptions to classes. Former Assistant Principal Kashi Beesmore, who worked there from 2004 to 2007, feels heartbroken by the move. She and many alumni worry it erases black history, especially compared to how nearby Wiley Elementary was preserved during its 2019. Upgrades in a changing neighborhood, to address those concerns, the district is creating a Ligon Legacy Committee with alumni, students and community members to document and highlight.

1:01The school's story, they'll build a new facility first, then remove the old one. Planning for the blueprints and design kicks off in the next four to six months, with hopes of balancing progress and respect for the past. This has been Durham News Today powered by AI.