There are many living African American teachers and students still living who have personal knowledge of both the Jim Crow and Post Jim Crow experiences of working in or attending the Okaloosa County Public Schools (OCPS). Today, the Okaloosa County Public Schools is one of the highly rated school districts in the state of Florida and lead by Marcus Chambers, the first Black Elected Okaloosa County Public Schools Superintendent!
During the Jim Crow Period the Okaloosa County Public Schools were segregated. Ft Walton Beach, FL African American students were provided a disadvantaged public education with limited resources and staff yet the school district managed to educate African American students well!
The first school for African Americans in Ft Walton Beach (FWB) opened in 1938. School classes were held in a private home and was called Ft Walton Colored School, grades 1st through 6th were taught by the teacher, Mrs. Payne. In 1940 the school transferred to a Washington Avenue (McGriff Street NE) private home and Mrs. Johnson became the new teacher. In 1951 the school moved to Beulah Baptist Church and students were taught by Mr. Charlie Hill and Mrs. Bessie Corbett. Grades 1st through 12th were taught with Mrs. Corbett teaching Elementary School in the morning and Mr. Hill teaching High School in late afternoon.
In 1952, on land donated by Ft Walton Mayor Mr. Tom Brooks for a school building for teaching African American students, a two room school building was built by the Okaloosa County Schools and named Brooks School in honor of Mayor Brooks. At it peak, the school served 17 students and had two teachers, Mr. Hill and Mrs. Mary E. Burnette.
Dr. Marion James Rufus Kent was the 1996 City of Cincinnati Public Employee of the Year, an award given by the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission.
At the time he received the award, Dr. Kent was working as an Employment and Training Supervisor for the City of Cincinnati, a position he held from 1980 until his retirement in 1996.
Additional career highlights for Dr. Kent include:
- Civil Rights Activist: As a college student, he was an active member of the NAACP and participated in civil rights demonstrations.
- Educator: From 1963 to 1980, he worked as an elementary school teacher, coordinating teacher, Director Career Opportunities Program, (COP) and Associate Planning and Development Branch as Demonstration Project Director for the Cincinnati Public Schools.
- NAACP Committee Chairman: He chaired the Economic Development Committee for the Cincinnati NAACP Branch, advocating for African American businesses.
- Ohio Department of Education Award: In 1975, he was honored for outstanding leadership as the Director of the Cincinnati Career Opportunities Program (COP). Dr. Kent, as director, oversaw the program’s administration and worked with Federal, State, University, and local officials to ensure its successful implementation in Cincinnati Public Schools, Miami University Ohio, and University of Cincinnati.
Mr. Hill served as first principal as well. It was a 1st through 12th grade school and had a clay basketball court in the back of the school building. Mr. Hill coached the boys basketball team and he and Mrs. Burnette used their cars to transport the team to games. Edith Bankston ( Sister of Willie H. Bankston) and Lettie Joe Douglas were the first Books School High School graduates in 1954. After Carver-Hill High School in Crestview opened in 1955 for all Okaloosa County Schools African American High School students, Brooks School became the Ft Walton Beach African American Elementary School and was expanded.
During the 1950’s, Brooks School also severed as a segregated USO Center for the African American Servicemen from the Eglin Military Community. It had a dual role, functioning both as a school for African American students and as a USO center for African American military personnel due to the segregation of the time.
In late 2024, Brooks School was demolished to make way for a new Brooks School to be rebuilt on the current site by Beulah First Baptist Church who purchased Brooks Schoo1 from the Okaloosa County Public Schools. Beulah First Baptist Church purchased the Brooks School property about 12-13 years ago with initial plans to renovate the existing facilities into a K-12 Christian school. However, the buildings had fallen into disrepair over the years.
The site of the former Brooks School, which was Fort Walton Beach’s first African American school, has a Florida Heritage Historical Marker that was dedicated in September 2025 at the Beulah First Baptist Church. The church is working to preserve the legacy of the school, which was demolished to make way for a new educational facility.
Brooks School, Carver-Hill High School Crestview FL and W. E. Combs were schools attended by Ft Walton Beach, FL African American students. Dr. Charlie H. Hill was named principal of both Brooks School and W. E. Combs High School. Mr. Marcus Davis was named principal of Caver-Hill High School in Crestview, FL. Up until 1962 every black high school student in Okaloosa County had to attend Carver-Hill School. Donald McGriff, Clarence (Buckshot) Bennett and James Florence were members of the first Carver-Hill High School graduating class. Both Donald McGriff and Clarence (Buckshot Bennett) graduated from college. Clarence was appointed a Judge in Delaware before his passing!
The W. E. Combs High School class of 1963 was the first graduating class.
The Post Jim Crow Period has seen expanded educational opportunities for students of all races in Ft Walton Beach, FL. Public Schools in Okaloosa County were integrated in 1968-1969 school year.
Alexander N. Green is an American lawyer and politician. Green has served in Congress as the U.S. representative for Texas’s 9th congressional district since 2005. The 9th district includes most of southwestern Houston, part of Fort Bend County and most of Missouri City. Green is a member of the Democratic Party. He is the only black Okaloosa County Public Schools graduate to be elected to Congress. Congressman Al Green attended W. E. Combs School and was a member of the first integrated new Choctawhatchee High School graduating class! He attended and graduated from Florida A&M University (FAMU). Many Caver-Hill High School and W. E. Combs School African American student graduates went on to achieve high levels of achievement
Head Start Schools founded by African Americans Mrs. Mary E. Burnette and Mrs. Gloria Jean “Bell” Tippins, Elementary Schools, High Schools, Vocational Schools, Charter Schools, Colleges and Universities are all now available to African American students in Ft Walton Beach FL. Florida A & M University (FAMU) a Florida traditional black university opened the Durell Peaden Jr. Rural Pharmacy Education Campus in downtown Crestview FL on August, 2012 and graduated it first class in 2016.
In 1970, Mrs. Gloria Jean “Bell” Tippins was one of a handful of residents in 1970 who started the federally-funded day-care program for preschool children. She became the supervisor of the Fort Walton Beach, Crestview and Baker programs in 1971. Through her leadership, the program expanded, received more funding and helped thousands of families by providing support and financial help in times of need. After 26 years of service she retired as the program’s director in 1997. Today, Head Start has expanded to three centers in Fort Walton Beach, one in Niceville, five in Crestview and one in Laurel Hill, along with Early Head Start for infants.
Ernest Green Jr. devoted 35 years of his life to Fort Walton Beach High School as an administrator, teacher and coach.
He was the first African American assistant football and basketball coach in the integrated school district. Under his stalwart guidance and leadership, Coach Green became the first African American Head Coach in soccer, tennis, track and baseball in the Okaloosa County School District. One of Coach Green’s greatest achievement occurred in 1991, when he coached defensive backs and receivers to win the Florida State 4A Football Championship.
As an administrator, Coach Green became the first African American Dean of Students in 1994 and the first African American Assistant Principal in Okaloosa County Schools since school segregation. He served as assistant principal for 15 years.
Retiring in 2015, Coach Green left a legacy and impact as a teacher, coach and administrator in Okaloosa County. He was highly involved with community service. One of his most recent honors occurred November, 2019, coach was an honoree of the Linda Baptiste Miller Lifetime Achievement Award by the NAACP. Other recognition included: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Buffalo Soldier Award. This award recognized and applauded ground-breaking and challenging efforts of a minority excelling in Education and Community Service, Omega Man of the Year, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Psi Iota Iota Chapter, and the Educator of the Year Award, Okaloosa County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
April 2016 – Choctaw’s Andy Thigpen named Coach of the Year for District Title and Region Playoffs Victory.
Merchelle Hixson-Wells – Assistant Principal, Fort Walton Beach High School
December, 2020-Congratulations to Merchelle Hixson-Wells, Fort Walton Beach High School, for being Okaloosa County’s first Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year!
Andy Thigpen – Choctawhatchee High School Athletic Director
On June 14, 2021, the Okaloosa County School Board approved Andy Thigpen Choctawhatchee High School Athletic Director. Andy attended the Okaloosa County Schools and is a high achieving FWB African American student, teacher and coach!
Beulah First Baptist Church looks at partnering with FAMU to restore historic school.