Susan Miller Dorsey High School
Address
Map
3537 Farmdale Avenue

Los Angeles
,
California
90016

United States
Coordinates34°01′22″N 118°20′46″W / 34.0228°N 118.3462°W / 34.0228; -118.3462
Information
TypePublic High School
Established1937; 87 years ago (1937)
PrincipalReginald A. Sample
Grades9–12
Number of students816 (2020–21)[1]
Color(s)Green and White    
Athletics conferenceColiseum League
CIF Los Angeles City Section
MascotDons/Donnas
WebsiteOfficial Website

Susan Miller Dorsey High School is a high school located in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles, California. It is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school serves Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Village, Jefferson Park, West Adams and a portion of Leimert Park.

History

The school opened in 1937 and currently enrolls an average of 2,400 students. Dorsey High is now one of the few predominantly African-American high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, with 55% of its students African American and 45% Latino. It is located at 3537 Farmdale Avenue and Obama Boulevard near Baldwin Village. The school colors are green and white, and its mascots are the Dons (male) and Donnas (female).

It was in the Los Angeles City High School District until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD.[2]

The school also served as the filming location for the high school scenes in Steven Spielberg's 2022 semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans.[3]

Namesake

The school was named after Susan Miller Dorsey, the first female superintendent of the Los Angeles public school system. Dorsey was born in 1857 in Penn Yan, New York. She graduated from Vassar College in 1877 and spent a year teaching at Wilson College in Pennsylvania, returning to Vassar to teach Greek and Latin. In 1881, she married Baptist minister Patrick William Dorsey. The same year, the couple came to Los Angeles, where he became pastor of First Baptist Church at 6th Street and Broadway (then known as Fort Street).

In the early 1890s, her husband abandoned her, taking their son with him. Dorsey returned to teaching in 1896 at Los Angeles High School, where she rose to vice principal. By 1913, she was assistant superintendent of schools. In 1920, she became superintendent. Dorsey remained superintendent for 9 years.[4]

Extracurricular activities

The school has several athletic teams, such as wrestling, football (Coliseum League Champions for the 2006 season), basketball, track & field, soccer, and Tennis (champions: Kenneth Ajeakwa, Valentine Uzoukwu, Moses Egwurube and Robert Troy) 2007–2010.

Rivals

Dorsey's main rival is Crenshaw High School.

Dorsey's football games are played in Jackie Robinson Stadium at the nearby Rancho Cienega Sports Complex. In 2006, Dorsey was the 2nd leading high school in the nation with sending student athletes to the NFL. Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL was 1st. Dorsey is also a 4-A champ in its conference, the most wins ever made in the Los Angeles history.

Dorsey High School California Academic Decathlon teams won Los Angeles City Super Quiz championships in 1981, 1982, 1984, and 1985.

Additionally, Dorsey High School has a Math Science Magnet Program, a Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet Program and a Law and Public Service Magnet Program. In 1989, the Dorsey High School Mock Trial Team earned 2nd Place in Los Angeles County and was the best team in the City of Los Angeles in the Constitutional Rights Foundation's Annual Mock Trial Competition. In 1990, the Dorsey High School Mock Trial Team won the Los Angeles County Championship and later competed in the State Mock Trial competition in Sacramento.

Football

Dorsey High School's football teams were Los Angeles City Football Champions in 1982,1989, 1991, 1995, and 2001. Susan Miller Dorsey has the distinction of sending the fifth most football players to the NFL in its entire history behind Long Beach Poly.[citation needed]

Basketball

In 1975, Dorsey's basketball team went undefeated until losing the Los Angeles city championship game to Fremont (whom they had beaten in two regular season games). They rebounded in 1976 to win the city championship over Crenshaw High School.

Notable alumni

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Franklin Ajaye
Sparky Anderson
John Casado
Eric Dolphy
Mike Love
Marilyn McCoo
Jody Watley

References

  1. ^ "Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "Los Angeles City School District". Los Angeles Unified School District. Archived from the original on 1998-02-07. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  3. ^ "How 5 Oscar-Nominated Movie Sets Were Made". 11 March 2023.
  4. ^ Rasmussen, Cecilia (May 13, 2007), "Dorsey devotee the picture of determination", Los Angeles Times, pp. B2
  5. ^ "Circle 1967 "Franklin Ajaye" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1967. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Circle 1953 "George Anderson" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1953. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Sparky Anderson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  8. ^ "Circle 1955 "Donald Buford" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1955. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Circle 61 "John Casado" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1961. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  10. ^ "Antonio Chatman". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  11. ^ "Aaron Cox". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  12. ^ "Circle 1953 "Julian Dixon" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1953. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Circle 1947 "Eric Dolphy" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1947. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  14. ^ "The Circle 1977 "Deborah Garrett" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1977. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  15. ^ Mike Barnes (29 June 2022). "Gregory Jein, 'Star Trek' Model Maker and Two-Time Oscar Nominee, Dies at 76". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles. Born in Los Angeles on Oct. 31, 1945, Jein spent most of his life in the Crenshaw district and attended Audubon Junior High, Dorsey High School and Cal State Los Angeles.
  16. ^ "Circle 61 "Robert Kardashian" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1961. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Bill Lachemann, 78, keeps Angels ahead of curve behind the plate". Los Angeles Times. 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  18. ^ "Circle 1959 "Michael Love" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1959. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Circle '60 "Marilyn McCoo" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1960. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Noted photographer/educator Patrick Nagatani passes at 72". Rafu Shimpo: Los Angeles Daily Japanese News. Los Angeles. 12 November 2017. Patrick's art has been displayed internationally and documented in numerous publications and films.
  21. ^ "Dark Alliance: Library." () San Jose Mercury News. April 9, 1997. Retrieved on December 14, 2013. "A few years before Rick Ross got involved with cocaine, he wielded a racquet for his high school tennis team. A college scholarship fizzled when it was learned that he couldn't read."
  22. ^ "Circle 1967 "Brenda Sykes" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1967. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Richard (Dick) A. Teague 1923–1991". Coacbuilt. 2004. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  24. ^ USA TODAY High School Sports (6 May 2017). "Kayvon Thibodeaux, No. 1 player in 2019, transfers to Oaks Christian (Calif.)". usatodayhss.com. Retrieved 25 August 2021 – via USA Today.
  25. ^ "1977 Dorsey High Yearbook". classmates.com. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  26. ^ "The Circle 1977 "Jody Watley" (Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Los Angeles)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1977. Retrieved 11 May 2020.

External links

Los Angeles Unified School District
Authority control databases
Categories