Two former principals of Atlanta’s Douglass High School — both longtime Atlanta educators — were honored this month.

The school’s auditorium was named in honor of Lester Butts, who later served as Atlanta Public Schools superintendent.

From his 20-year tenure at Frederick Douglass High School, during which the school was nationally recognized for excellence, to his sometimes stormy years as superintendent of schools, Butts was a pivotal Atlanta educator, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote in Butts’ 1999 obituary.

The school’s gym was named in honor of former principal Samuel Hill, who had also served as Douglass’ assistant principal.

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Wade Roberts (center), a Decatur parent with children in three of the city schools, addresses concerns  with the possibility of a K-2 school closing. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Rose Scott signals as "Closer Look" goes on the air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray for the AJC 2023)

Credit: Ben Gray