Every other year, the Reedtown Roundup takes place to allow former students of Reedtown High School and the community to celebrate the history of the school.
Reedtown High School was established in the late 1930s as an all-black school and served as the first and only all-black school in Franklin County. After desegregation laws were passed, the school’s students began integrating with the white schools in the area in 1968. Reedtown High School closed its doors in 1972.
This year’s Reedtown Roundup will be held this Thursday, July 2 through Saturday, July 4 at the historic Reedtown High School. The planning committee comprised of 15 members has been working on the details of the event since last November.
“This has always been on my bucket list to help plan the Reedtown Roundup,” said chairperson Gwen Rorer, who attended first grade at the school in 1968. “We are Team 15, and we have worked hard. Our objective was to make the event family-friendly so out-of-towners will want to come back.”
On Thursday, the meet-and-greet and registration will take place from 4-7 p.m. It will be followed by the talent show from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
“In the first part of the talent show, people will show off their talents like poetry, dance or singing,” said Ella West, who graduated from the school in 1968 and oversaw the planning of the talent show. “The second part is impersonations of people and groups like the Temptations and James Brown.”
Dynamic Fame Dance and Cheer from Muscle Shoals will also be performing at the talent show.
On Friday, Game Day, which begins at noon and lasts until 3 p.m., provides time for all ages to have fun together playing games. Tables will be set up to play all the classic games like checkers, spades, bingo, Old Maid and Twister. Thursday evening, the banquet will be held at 7 p.m. The soul R&B band "1105" from Tuscumbia will be playing.
This year’s speaker will be John “Buddy” Sargent from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who attended Reedtown High School and will address this year’s theme, “Celebrating the Legacy.”
On Saturday, the parade will begin at 10 a.m. and feature the Muscle Shoals Twirlers and possibly a small community band from Deshler High School. The Grand Marshal of the parade will be Rev. Charles Dale.
“I was shocked when I was asked to be Grand Marshal,” said Dale, who graduated from Reedtown in 1961. “I think it's important to continue to carry the legacy and build on the legacy of the school. I want my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids to learn about the history even though they did not attend school there.”
To conclude the festivities on Saturday night, the street dance will take place from 7-9 p.m. with DJ Glasco “Soul Dog” Graham.
