Page 248 - lake-city-florida-a-sesquicentennial-tribute-(h-morris-williams-kevin-mccarthy)-2009

Lake City, Florida: A Sesquicentennial Tribute (2009) H. Morris Williams, Dr. Kevin M. McCarthy

Richardson High School (RHS), the all-black high school in Lake
City, closed in the early 1970s when integration took place. Although
the main structure has been torn down, part of the school that served
as the gym and the cafeteria still exists. The basketball court, still painted
in the green and
orange team colors, is
in excellent shape,
and the trophy case in
the lobby proudly
displays awards won
by RHS teams. The
playing fields and gym
are now part of the
Richardson
Community Center
(pictured to the right),
located at 255 Coach Anders Way.

A plaque at the
center honors
McKinley
Jeffers (1896–
1973), who was
named a Great
Floridian in 2000.
Born in North
County Agent McKinley Jeffers (on the
right) with farmer Tally Watson and Carolina, where he
his family in Fort White in 1955. later graduated
from North
Carolina A&T
State University, he was recruited in 1939 by the University of Florida
(UF), where he worked as a faculty member for 25 years. UF did not
have any black faculty on its main campus in Gainesville, but some
worked as extension agents throughout the state.

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