The School District of Lancaster is proud to announce the dedication of the Jackson Middle School library in honor of a figure whose influence is still felt in the hallways, classrooms, and neighborhoods of our city. On Wednesday, August 13 at 4:00 p.m., we will officially rename the space the Fredrick Reed Library, a tribute to Mr. Fredrick M. Reed Sr. the district’s first Black teacher, a dedicated coach and educator, and a leader who helped reshape Lancaster’s story.
Fredrick M. Reed Sr. helped create lasting change in our community, and his legacy continues through the lives he shaped past, present, and future.This ceremony and dedication is a moment to reflect, to remember, and to recognize the people who built the foundation we stand on today.
Opening doors in the District
Fredrick M. Reed Sr. joined the School District of Lancaster in 1958 just four years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision becoming the first African American teacher in our district’s history. At a time when representation in the classroom was rare, Mr. Reed taught social studies at Edward Hand Junior High (now Hazel Jackson Middle School) and later English at J.P. McCaskey High School. But he wasn’t just a teacher. He was a coach, a mentor, and a guiding force for students who looked to him as living proof that barriers could be broken.
Mr. Reed also made his mark on the athletic fields, serving as an assistant basketball coach, head swimming coach, and aspiring head football coach. He led with heart, taught with intention, and coached with love. As one former colleague shared, “Students liked and appreciated him. They saw how committed he was to their success and that changed everything.”
A champion for civil rights
Outside the classroom, Mr. Reed was equally fearless. In the 1960s, he helped lead efforts to desegregate public swimming pools in Lancaster County. When local Black residents were denied entry to places like Rocky Springs, Mr. Reed, alongside coach Gordie Kraft and community leaders, played a key role in establishing Central Park Pool, a public facility open to all, regardless of race. That pool opened in 1967, just one of the many examples of how Mr. Reed used his voice to create lasting institutional change.
He also helped launch the Lancaster chapter of the National Urban League in 1965, advocating for equitable employment opportunities, and later served on the board of the Bright Side Development Corporation and Land Trust, which built affordable housing in communities that needed it most. Through every initiative, Mr. Reed’s message made it clear that equity is not optional, it’s essential.
From Washington D.C. to Lancaster, PA and beyond
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1935, Mr. Reed’s early life was marked by hardship. Raised by his mother and extended family, he grew up in unstable housing and limited means. Still, he never stopped believing in what was possible. He left for Franklin & Marshall College with little more than a bus ticket and a dream, eventually graduating in 1958. That same drive fueled his decades of public service.
He carried that same tenacity into his professional career, eventually moving to Harrisburg where he coached football in the Steelton-Highspire School District and at Cheyney University, one of the nation’s historically Black colleges. Throughout his life, he mentored young people, fought for justice, and helped shape generations of leaders.
His daughter, Allison Reed, recalls that his favorite saying was, “Take what you have and run with it.” That phrase wasn’t just advice. It was how he lived. Through all the challenges he faced, Mr. Reed never stopped learning, building, and encouraging others to keep moving forward with purpose.
A space that reflects his spirit
It is fitting that the library at Jackson Middle School, a place where curiosity is nurtured and dreams begin, will now carry Mr. Reed’s name. As students enter that space, they’ll be surrounded not only by books and resources, but by the legacy of someone who helped open doors for them.
This dedication is a reminder that the pursuit of equity begins with real people who are willing to act. It begins with educators who don’t give up on their students. It begins with leaders like Fredrick M. Reed Sr., who used what he had to move others forward.
Please join us for the Fredrick Reed Library Naming and Dedication Ceremony
Wednesday, August 13 at 4:00 p.m. | Jackson Middle School
Immediately following the ceremony, families are invited to stay for Jackson’s Back to School Night.
In this space and in our hearts, his story continues.
We are proud to honor the life of a teacher, a coach, a neighbor, and a force for good.
Fredrick Reed Library: a name our students will see, learn from, and carry forward.