Ravenswood Remembered (June 9, 2026 – October 18, 2026) showcases a vibrant array of photographs, yearbooks and cherished artifacts from Ravenswood High School. By
spotlighting the remarkable staff and students that attended Ravenswood, the exhibit honors the community spirit that defined the school’s unique legacy.
In the late 1950s, segregation persisted in San Mateo County. The Bayshore Freeway served as a barrier, isolating Ravenswood High School in East Palo Alto. Unlike neighboring white schools, Ravenswood was under-enrolled and denied equitable resources. The district spoke frequently about closing Ravenswood and busing its students into neighboring schools.
Ravenswood served as a diverse sanctuary for Black, White, Japanese, Latine, Chinese, Filipino and Polynesian students and faculty. It was the only school that the district intended to integrate. Despite threats of closure, the school became a vital resource in the community and established academic and career pipelines to universities and the tech industry.
Ravenswood was reimagined in 1971 as a magnet school with an experimental curriculum. The school had a roughly 60% turnover of staff and the structure changed drastically. Despite early success, ongoing under-enrollment, funding and legal challenges led to its closure in 1976.
