The Mighty Heroes of Stephens-Lee

Stephens-Lee_dvd_cover.jpgNew documentary shows the rich history of Asheville’s black high school.

Integration was a bittersweet victory for Asheville’s black community because they lost their beloved Stephens-Lee High School in 1965. Now a documentary film relives the memories and shows the wondrous legacy of WNC’s leading black high school.

Stephens-Lee High School was THE African-American school in Western North Carolina until the advent of integration closed it in 1965, sending black students to Asheville High School. This was a bittersweet victory for Asheville’s black community — opportunities opened up for young people but something very important in community identity was lost. Now a documentary film scheduled for February release — “The Mighty Heroes of Stephens-Lee High School” — shows the people and events that made this school legendary.

Bennie Lake and Johnny Bailey — both sports heroes of the Stephens-Lee Bears in their own right — have worked for the last thirty years to document the achievements of Stephens-Lee. After publishing a book about it, they’ve spent the last two years filming interviews and gathering information for their film.

Lake and Bailey produced the documentary in association with local author, publisher, and URTV personality Ralph Roberts — who donated his time and equipment so that this very important part of Asheville’s history could be told. The film has already been accepted for distribution by Amazon.com.

“The Mighty Heroes of Stephens-Lee High School” premieres in February — Black History Month — with showings on URTV, cable channel 20 (Asheville’s fastest growing television channel), and at various community venues. Copies will be available for sale both locally and online.

Contents of Documentary

“The Mighty Heroes of Stephens-Lee High School” is a 60-minute documentary film produced by Bennie Lake and Johnny Bailey. It was edited and directed by Ralph Roberts. The film is presented by Castle on the Hill, Inc. in association with 1VIDeo Productions, LLC and will be featured on URTV as well as distributed nationally by 1VIDeo.

Introduction: Bennie Lake and Johnny Bailey explain the significance of Stephens-Lee’s heritage in the community.

Interview with Bennie Lake about the 30-year making of both the book and this documentary.

Remembering: Our first principal, Professor Walter Smith Lee and in loving memory and dedication to Raymond Washington and Gladys Forney.

James E. King, one of the best beloved teachers recalls his time at the high school. The late Dr. Gwenolyn Henderson, associated with the Stephens-Lee Alumni Association, speaks. Mr. and Mrs. Wardell Cunningham, Jr. (he was a teacher at Stephens-Lee) talk about their association with the school.

William Wynn tells what it was like to lose Stephens-Lee when the school closed and students went to Asheville High School.

Sarah Hart, Vice President of the Stephens-Lee Alumni Association, tells how she traveled 36 miles each day from Mars Hill to attend Stephens-Lee.

Allison Dains, Director of the Stephens-Lee Recreation Center discusses her work at the center and with the Stephens-Lee Alumni Association (only the gym is left from the high school and is now a recreation center).

Deceased But Not Forgotten: this segment features O.W. McCorkle, James Robert Gash, Brooks Dendy (first black Hall of Famer in WNC), Jessie Gibson, George Bishop Sr., Jim Jenkins, Charles “Beef” Jones, Herbert J. Watts (the Asheville Police Department’s legendary “Watt Daddy”), Phyllis Jones Sherrill, Dorothy “Li’l Sis” Brown, and Thomas “Hump” Hymes.

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Clarence ‘Prof’ Moore, beloved coach at Stephens-Lee profiled.

“More Heroes of the Stephens-Lee Bears features Joe Chandler, Charles Pickens, Boyd Brown, and Harry Griffin.

Preston Dorsey gives an interesting interview about his time at Stephens-Lee, his life afterwards including a boxing career and long service in law enforcement, and what attending the school meant to him.

Mary Ann Gilchrist, Stephens-Lee basketball heroine, gives an inspirational talk on how the high school influenced her and how these lessons learned can benefit young people today.

The REAL “Mean” Joe Green is actually a very nice guy who tells us about his boxing career after Stephens-Lee.

Maxine Simuel Jones, a basketball stand out during her time playing for Stephens-Lee, turns back the hands of time to discuss her teammates and what this high school, “the Castle on the Hill” meant to them.

Basketball hero Willie Maples explains some of the background of Stephens-Lee in the community, discusses his time there, and what he did afterwards.

“More Heroes of the Stephens-Lee Bears” returns to look at Hall of Famers and others. This segment features Roosevelt Boykins, Willie Maples, Charles Pickens, Joseph L. Eddings Sr., Charles Watson, Jeremiah N. Yisrael, Charles C. Buggs, Paul Bishop, Fred Smith, Harold Mabin, Bennie Lake, Everette Parrish, Henry Robinson, Robin Lake, John Teamer, Louvenia Davidson, Gene Hammonds, Wayne Coleman, Willie “Bill” Jones, Joe Craig, Phyllis Jones Sherrill, Johnny Bailey, William “Bay-Bay” Bailey, Paul L. Bailey, Wilbur Mapp, Winston Mapp, Marcel Proctor, Billy Gardenhight, Leroy Wilson.

The 1962 State Champion Basketball Team with Bennie Lake, Walker Smith, Nathaniel Woods, Louis Bell, Willie Maples, Mathew Miller, Richard White, Herbert Moore, Raymond McCants, Henry Logan, William Clinkscales, and Coach Clarence Moore.

First WNC Negro Little Boys League featuring Johnny Bailey.

Class of 1935 Girls’ Athletic Association.

Stephens-Lee Cheerleaders!

“The 1955 Yearbook Staff” including Rosa Ervin, Martin Dawkins, Johnnie Fair, Jerome Dudley, Irma Littlejohn, Frances Randolph, Richard McDay, Robert Oglesby, Eugene Hammond, Jimmy Joseph, Miss M.J. Rumley, Miss O.E. White, Mrs. R.C. Carolina, Mrs. A.P. Toliver, Archie Moore, Nooris Woodford, Thomas Liston, and Wilma Ray.

“The Mighty Stephens Lee Band” including Robertson Long, Goudlock, Hallum, McCants, Lytle, Williams, McQueen, Barton, Williams and featuring Claudia Tucker and Lillian Hardy — drum majorettes.

Closing words from Tydaryll Bailey and Kenyon Lake. And finally but not least, a thanks to the many supporters of this ongoing project.

For more information on how to obtain a copy of this documentary contact: Bennie Lake (828) 216-4601, Johnny Bailey (828) 582-4470, or Ralph Roberts (828) 252-9515.