The Georgia Interscholastic Association (GIA), formed in 1948, was a sports league of high schools serving African Americans in Georgia.[1] It merged into the Georgia High School Association with desegregation in 1970.[2] As If We Were Ghosts is a documentary film made about the league and its athletes.[3][4][5][6][7][8] The Georgia Interscholastic Association held state championship competitions from 1948–70 and joined the Georgia High School Association the following year.[2]
 | |
| Abbreviation | GIA |
|---|---|
| Merged into | Georgia High School Association |
| Formation | 1948 |
| Dissolved | 1970 |
| Purpose | sports league of high schools serving African Americans |
Region served | Georgia |
Official language | English |
History edit
The Big 7 Conference included large high schools for African American students in Georgia. The GIA was an expansion of this league that grew to include county high schools around the state.[9] High schools for African Americans from 147 of Georgia's 159 counties came to be included in the league.
Walt Frazier, Wyomia Tyus, Otis Sistrunk, Monk Johnson, Rayfield Wright.[6] Don Adams, Willie Seay, and Edith McGuire emerged from the league.[10][11][12] Seay went on to star on Albany State University's track team and carried the Olympic torch before the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.[12] Becky Taylor who works at the Tifton Gazette has been researching the league for years.[6] Herb White, nicknamed the Elevator from Decatur, worked on the documentary film about the league. A high school basketball, star he went on to play for the Atlanta Hawks.[7]
The GIS grew to include high schools for African American students from 147 of Georgia's 159 counties.[6] After the film was broadcast the filmmakers and some of those featured in the film participated in a panel discussion moderated by Ann Kimbrough.[10]
High schools edit
- Henry McNeal Turner High School in northwest Atlanta
- Washington High School in southwest Atlanta
- South Fulton High School in East Point, Georgia
- Ballard-Hudson High School in Macon[13]
- Alfred E. Beach High School in Savannah
- David T. Howard High School in Northeast Atlanta
- Carver High School in Southeast Atlanta
- South Fulton High School in East Point
- Josey High School in Augusta
- Central High School in Springfield
- Atkinson County Training High School in Pearson
- Appling High School in Macon
- Eva Thomas High School in College Park
- Harrison High School in West Point
- Risley High School in Brunswick
- Calhoun High School
- Carver High School in Dawson[14]
- Lee Street High School in Blackshear
- Hutto High School in Bainbridge
- Macon County Training High School in Montezuma
- Holsey-Cobb Institute in Cordele
- Thomaston Training School in Wayne County
- Training School in Jesup
- Hill High School in LaFayette
- Edison Negro High School
- Alma Consolidated High School
- Fairmont High School in Griffin
- Richland High & Industrial
- Hunt High School in Fort Valley
- Haralson County Consolidated High School in Waco
- Monitor High School in Fitzgerald
- Harrison High School in West Point
- South Fulton High School in East Point
- Central High School in McRae
- George W. Drake High School in Thomaston
- R. L. Cousins High School in Douglasville
- Bethune High School in Folkston
- West End School in Hogansville
- Ralph Bunche High School in Canton
- St. Pius X High School in Savannah
- Eureka School[15]
- Liberty County High School
- Bailey-Johnson School in Alpharetta
- Calhoun Crawford County Training School in Roberta
- Whitman Street High School in Toccoa
- Stephens High School in Calhoun
- Lucy Craft Laney High School in Augusta, Georgia
- Luther Judson Price High School in southeast Atlanta[16]
- Sophronia Tompkins High School (became Woodville-Tompkins)
- Houston High School, Indians[17]
- Wilson High School[17]
- William H. Spencer High School in Columbus[16]
- Ralph Bunche High School[16]
- Dasher High School[16]
- Pinevale High School in Valdosta,[16] the Fighting Tigers[18]
- Boggs Academy,[16] a Presbyterian parochial school
- Elm Street High School,[16] now Rockmart Middle School[19]
- Cedar Hill High School[16] in Cedartown, Georgia
- William Bryant High School in Moultrie,[20][16] formerly Moultrie High School for Negro Youth[21] It became a junior high school after integration[22]
- Lemon Street High School of Marietta, the Hornets[20]
- Elder High School[23] in Sandersville, Georgia
- Maggie Califf High School in Gray, Georgia[24]
- Peabody High School in Eastman, Georgia[24]
References edit
- ^ "General Information". GIA Heritage. Georgia High School Basketball Project. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b "GIA Champions | GHSA.net". www.ghsa.net.
- ^ "'As If We Were Ghosts' set to premiere: GIA documentary to air twice on GPB | News | valdostadailytimes.com". www.valdostadailytimes.com.
- ^ Taylor, Becky. "GIA's 'Ghosts' brought to life in documentary". The Tifton Gazette.
- ^ "Top Black Female Sports Broadcaster Headlines Legends Film on Juneteenth". Black Enterprise. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Becky (14 June 2022). "As If We Were Ghosts' set to premiere: GIA documentary to air twice on GPB". Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ a b Nizlick, Tzali (13 June 2022). "Georgia-born Herb White is making ghost stories real". Score Atlanta. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ Holcomb, Todd. "GPB to air documentary on African American high school sports during segregation".
- ^ "Documentary on Georgia Interscholastic Association will air Monday on GPB". Moultrie Observer.
- ^ a b LLC, OURS Studios. "OURS Studios LLC". AS IF WE WERE GHOSTS.
- ^ "(BPRW) Acclaimed Independent Filmmaker Monty Ross joins Ours Studios as Filmmaker-in-Residence | Black PR Wire, Inc". (BPRW) Acclaimed Independent Filmmaker Monty Ross joins Ours Studios as Filmmaker-in-Residence.
- ^ a b Correspondent, Joe Whitfield Staff. "Albany State Athletics Hall of Fame welcomes eight new members". Albany Herald.
- ^ "GIA Baseball Champions | GHSA.net". www.ghsa.net.
- ^ "GIA Boys Basketball Champions | GHSA.net". www.ghsa.net.
- ^ Gazette, Becky TaylorTifton. "Do or Dye: Obstacles were opportunities for former coach, teacher". The Tifton Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "GIA Football Champions | GHSA.net". www.ghsa.net.
- ^ a b "1969 champs Houston High Indians celebrated in long-awaited ring ceremony". www.13wmaz.com. July 13, 2020.
- ^ Pinholster, Johnna. "Memories of Pinevale High". Valdosta Daily Times.
- ^ Staff reports. "History of Elm Street High compiled by former student". Northwest Georgia News.
- ^ a b Observer, Wayne GrandyThe Moultrie. "Hall of Fame to honor 1961 state champion William Bryant football team". Moultrie Observer.
- ^ "USC: Museum of Education". www.museumofeducation.info.
- ^ Oxford, John. "Full integration of Moultrie schools came 16 years after ruling". Moultrie Observer.
- ^ "GIA Girls Basketball Champions | GHSA.net". www.ghsa.net.
- ^ a b "GIA Girls Basketball Champions | GHSA.net".