Alain L. Locke School of Arts and Engineering (Public School 185)

History

Many New York City public schools are named in honor of prominent figures in American and world history. The NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project compiled a list of the public schools named after gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals, although only one — Harvey Milk High School — intentionally honors an LGBT individual. This list includes Alain L. Locke School of Arts and Engineering (Public School 185), in Manhattan.

Alain LeRoy Locke (1885-1954), known as the “Dean” of the Harlem Renaissance, which promoted Black art and culture, became the first African American to be selected as a Rhodes scholar, in 1907. Though largely based in Washington, D.C., as a professor of 41 years at Howard University, he often visited Harlem. In 1925, Locke authored the pioneering book The New Negro. He was a mentor to many figures of the Harlem Renaissance, including poets Countee Cullen, who credited Locke with helping him embrace his homosexuality, and Langton Hughes.

The Alain L. Locke Magnet School for Environmental Stewardship was previously located in this school complex, at 21 West 111th Street. It was consolidated with Public School 185 in 2018, and became the Alain L. Locke School of Arts and Engineering.

Sites on this website associated with Locke include the Hotel Olga and Gumby Book Studio, in Harlem.

Entry by Jay Shockley, project director (February 2021; last revised December 2023).

NOTE: Names above in bold indicate LGBT people.