Amanda H. North Elementary, one of Williamson County Schools’ newest schools which opened for 2023 – 2024 school year, has a fascinating story behind its name. With February being Black History Month, its the perfect time to share that story.
North was a long-time Williamson County African American educator who rose to a position of Principal while dealing with racism, sexism and raising a family. Described by former students and family as caring but firm, she stood tall and dressed stylishly to gain the love and respect of the community.
Born in 1913, North began teaching right after she completed high school. According to an article on thenewstn.com, she first taught at Boxy Valley School in 1934. At that time, Black teachers were paid half of what a White teacher was paid. They also dealt with substandard facilities and supplies. But North made a point of seeing that her students got the best education possible despite the circumstances.
“Growing up Black in Williamson County meant having to do a dance between oppression and achievement,” Dawnita Robertson wrote in The Tennessean. “Amanda North found a way to gracefully navigate between the two.”
Robertson went on to explain some of the things that North would do for her students, like staying late to make sure they got home safely when the weather was bad. Those who lived too far away from school to walk, she would pick up daily so they could receive an education. She told her students and family that education was important.
“Mrs. North realized that the 20-cent lunch fee was more than some of her students could afford,” explained Robertson in her Tennessean Opinion article. “She organized community suppers to help cover the costs.”
During the summers she continued her own education. She took classes at what was then called Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College, and is now called Tennessee State University, until she received her graduate degree in education.
North’s career in education spanned 40 years. She served as the last principal at Thompson Station School before the school was closed. She ended her career at Evergreen Elementary School.
During segregation, she was one of the main teachers of Black students in Williamson County. In later years, she worked with students at Franklin High School and taught adult education at Natchez High School.
She was not only loved by her students, but also by her family. North’s granddaughter, Quen Williams, a current Williamson County principal, shared with Robertson that her grandmother was always there for her.
“I remember my grandmother waiting on the front porch to greet us every day when we came home from school,” shared Williams. “She helped us with our homework and always had a snack for us to eat.”
North passed away in 2011 at the age of 98.
Williams is not the only family member who has followed North’s footsteps into the field of education. Four generations have continued the family legacy.
At the Williamson County School Board meeting where the naming of Amanda H. North Elementary School was unanimously approved, according to News Channel 5, board member Eric Welch said, “Our heroes matter, our history and our values matter. We are not a perfect nation by any stretch of the imagination, but we are a nation that holds certain ideal qualities [from] which we were formed … and we’re [a] nation that … can improve and can recognize … an ideal. And someone who may initially have … not [been] allowed admission into one of our schools, here we are today … naming one of our schools for that very same person for very noble reasons.”
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