School History

Our school was named in honor of the Reverend Jack Yates, a highly respected and noted minister. He was pastor of Bethel and Antioch Baptist churches located in the Fourth Ward community. The late Reverend Yates sponsored other churches and schools in the state of Texas and served with excellent leadership, especially emphasizing education directed toward youth as future leaders.

This great institution has been guided through the past years by twenty principals who have helped it to achieve its mission as a service institution for secondary education. The following principals instilled the school’s motto, “Character and Achievement” in the hearts of Yates’ students: the late James D. Ryan (1926-1941); the late William S. Holland (1941-1958); the late John E. Codwell (1958-1964); the late James R. Alexander (1964-1972); Herbert Melton (1972-1978); Osby Mitchell, Sr. (1978-1986); Joseph Drayton (1986-1988); Chet D Smith (1988-1990); Dr. Ronald Johnson (1990-1995); Lloyd D. Choice (1995-1999), Dr. Robert F. Worthy (1999-2003), George R. August (2003-2007), Winston Steele (2007-2008), Ronald Mumpherey (2008-2010), Samuel Coleman (2011), Marla McNeal-Sheppard (2011-2013), Donetrus G. Hill (2013 - 2015), Dr. Kenneth Davis (2015 – 2018), Principal Tiffany Guillory (2018-2023), and the present leader, Principal Stephanie Square. Jack Yates High School has been a major force in the Third Ward community for years. We are very proud and thankful for the legacy of Pride, Excellence and Tradition!

Jack Yates Senior High School, the second black high school in the city, opened February 8, 1926, with 17 teachers and 600 students. Located at 2610 Elgin. The late James D. Ryan was principal from opening in 1926 until his death in 1941. Succeeding him was William S. Holland. The school remained at its original site until 1958, and the old building was then appropriately named in honor of its first principal, James D. Ryan. The building has been renovated and currently bears the name of Baylor College of Medicine Academy (formerly James D. Ryan Middle School).

In September of 1958, Jack Yates Senior High School was moved to 3703 Sampson Street, due to overcrowded conditions at the old site. At the beginning of the 1978-1979 academic year, the nationally recognized School of Communication was added to the landmark institution. The School of Communication was housed in the “new wing” and in 1984 a third floor was attached to the Sampson building.

In 2018, Jack Yates High School moved to a new home located on 3650 Alabama. A state-of-the-art facility within Houston, the new campus includes a three-story academic wing with flexible core learning centers, television and radio broadcasting studio, industry science labs, a large dining common, fine arts performance wing, auditorium, and two major gymnasiums with a spacious athletic complex.