JAMES A. HENRY
Chattanooga education leader | Local YMCA branch named in his honor
James A. Henry served in the Chattanooga Public School system for 31 years. He was recognized throughout the South as one of the foremost African American educators. People of all races widely sought his advice on race relations and education. After graduating from Atlanta University, Henry came to Chattanooga as an assistant teacher at Howard High School. In 1885, he became the first African American principal of Howard and held the post until his passing in 1914. The James A. Henry YMCA (established in 1902 as the Ninth Street YMCA) was renamed in Henry’s honor in 1953.
The J. A. Henry branch has been an epicenter for African American leaders throughout the history of Chattanooga. Booker T. Washington was the featured speaker at the branch dedication in 1902. In 1960, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., visited Chattanooga to speak, and the J. A. Henry YMCA figured prominently in his visit. A dinner was held in King’s honor in the branch’s gym. After Dr. King’s speech at Memorial Auditorium, guests returned to the Henry YMCA for a Q&A session.
Today, the J. A. Henry YMCA is located at 3500 Dodds Ave., Ste. 108, in Chattanooga and is a hub for preparing meals to feed children and families. The branch prepares and delivers 300,000 meals annually across 80 sites.