The Perry Center, formerly M Street High School.

ID: 5753 ~ Source: Photo courtesy of the Perry School Community Services Center, Inc.

This file appears in: M Street High School (Perry School): M Street High School was one of the nation’s first high schools for African Americans and represents an important development of Washington’s education system.

M Street High School (Perry School): M Street High School was one of the nation’s first high schools for African Americans and represents an important development of Washington’s education system.

By The DC Historic Sites team

Founded in 1870 as the Preparatory High School for Colored Youth, M Street High School navigated multiple makeshift locations until 1890 when Congress earmarked $112,000 for the construction of a…