In 1926, 1200 Northwest 6^th Avenue was designed as a site for a public school for “Negroes”.  Booker T. Washington Elementary-Junior-Senior high School opened its doors in February, 1927. The original opening date was delayed when the structure was bombed during construction. It was the first high school for black students in South Florida, requiring students to come from as far away as Key West and West Palm Beach to complete their high school education there.

Booker T., as it is affectionately called by its alumni, was a model school from an era when home, school and business meshed to provide whatever support was necessary to produce well-educated and well-behaved students. The school’s motto, “Not, The Largest, But the Best” exemplifies this spirit. Washingtonians (students of the school) have become outstanding citizens in Dade County and throughout  the world and often reminisce about their formative years spent attending Booker T.

Today, Booker T Washington is a middle school; however, plans to make it into a high school again are currently under review.