Historic Black School Alumni Reunite Decades Later

Decades after walking its halls, former students of Dogan Elementary School in Marshall, Texas finally came together as one big family.

The historically Black elementary school held its inaugural all-class reunion on June 27, 2026, bringing together alumni from different generations to celebrate their shared roots. The event at Smith Park Community Center proved that some bonds never fade, no matter how many years pass.

Laura Veasey Williams, who taught music at Dogan, led the crowd in singing "The Dogan Song" she wrote years ago. Her former student Anthony Parrish joined her on the dance floor, moving to Eddie Dalton's "Another Day Old" just like old times.

The celebration mixed joy with bittersweet memories. Alumni displayed a brick salvaged from the school building, which was recently torn down. That small piece of masonry represents something much bigger: a place that shaped countless young lives during segregation.

Former teacher Della Washington received special honors during the reunion. Alumna Jacquelyn Kirby performed musical dances from their school days, while retired Justice of the Peace Clarice Watkins led former classmates in skits that brought back memories.

A style show titled "The Way We Were" let attendees celebrate how far they've come. Alumni like Kirk Williams and Anthony Parrish shared stories that had the crowd laughing and crying in equal measure.

Sunny's Take

Committee member Velma Taylor summed up the feeling perfectly. These weren't just former classmates reconnecting. They were family members finding their way back to each other.

The reunion proved that the real foundation of Dogan Elementary wasn't brick and mortar. It was the relationships built inside those walls, the teachers who believed in their students, and the community that supported them through difficult times.

Now those alumni have a new tradition: gathering to honor where they came from and celebrate who they've become together.