Chandler Honors First Black Students Who Integrated Chandler High

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke led a ceremony on Saturday at Celebration Plaza, recognizing eight black students who integrated Chandler High School in 1949, among others.

Celebration Plaza is a monument at Tumbleweed Park where, according to Mayor Hartke, the Chandler City Council honors “organizations and individuals for their civic leadership, public outreach, outstanding personal service, and commitment to our great community.”

Willie Arbuckle was one of those eight students who first integrated Chandler High School in 1949, five years before Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court case that integrated schools nationwide. Arbuckle spoke on behalf of the eight students being recognized. Arbuckle, 90, said that all he ever knew growing up were segregated schools, and that he originally didn’t want to transfer from Carver High School, the segregated high school where he came from.

Arbuckle said the history of the moment was not apparent to him at the time. “I didn’t really realize what a momentous occasion it was,” he said, “I was just a student going to school.”

While he remembers feeling welcomed at Chandler High, Arbuckle does remember feeling somewhat separated from his peers.

“A small group of black students, in a sea of white students, we were invisible on campus,” Arbuckle said.

This experience stuck with him long enough that he didn’t choose to go to a high school reunion until he turned 65.

“Finally, at the age of 65, I decided I’m going to go to a high school reunion to see who’s still alive,” Arbuckle said, “And who still has hair!”

At that class reunion, Arbuckle recalls feeling like a “celebrity,” He continued, adding that whenever he and his wife find themselves at a high school reunion, they never find themselves alone. Arbuckle said, “From that time forward… they made sure that somebody sat with us. We didn’t ask them to do that.”

As welcomed as the students felt, they still had to reckon with racism and segregation during their time at Chandler High School.

Ernestine Johnson, cousin of Willie Arbuckle, remembers being bussed to Chandler High School as a student.

She recounted hearing about a field trip for her home economics class that she was not allowed to attend. Johnson said, “Our home ec [sic] teacher said we’re going on this great field trip, and we’re going to a fancy restaurant, but you can’t come.”

Another time, Johnson recalls an English teacher holding a paper she wrote in front of the class, saying “this person will never go anywhere,” and then walking over to her and handing her back her paper.

Johnson went on to have a 33-year-long career at Motorola, where she was eventually promoted to Manufacturing Manager.

CC Cantabrana, an assistant at the City Manager’s office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, explained how she came to know Willie Arbuckle through work on the Southside Conservation district.

While working on the Southside Conservation district, a historically black and Hispanic neighborhood near downtown, CC Cantabrana met Reggie Arbuckle-Andrews, daughter of Willie Arbuckle.

After doing a video on Willie Arbuckle for Black History Month, Cantabrana and the City of Chandler started to think of ways to officially recognize him and the other students who helped integrate Chandler High. While they originally spoke of installing a plaque at Chandler High School in their honor, they eventually decided to recognize these students at Celebration Plaza.

Jody Crago, an administrator with the Chandler Museum spoke on the nomination process for Celebration Plaza.

Crago explained that normally, only two people or groups will be inducted on any given year, but that this was a “special year.” Crago and others involved found it important to recognize these students while they are still alive.

Since 2007, the Chandler City Council, in collaboration with the Chandler Museum, has recognized 24 inductees at Celebration Plaza who have helped shape the community.

The eight students were recognized as one group, alongside Maj. Gen. Jackson and Barbara Bogle, and Rev. Joseph Patterson.

The Bogle family were recognized for their philanthropy and their commitment to community organizations such as local PTAs, the Chandler Historical Society and the Chandler Service Club, among others. They are also the namesakes of Bogle Junior High School in Chandler.

Rev. Joseph Patterson was recognized for helping to found St. Mary-Basha Catholic School, Seton Catholic High School, and several little league baseball teams.

Celebration Plaza is located near the center of Tumbleweed Park on McQueen Road and Germann Road, and it is open to the public.

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