Athene Marston
Marston is a senior at Leodis V. McDaniel High School.
This may be the first time that you are hearing the name Leodis V. McDaniel. And that is one of the many reasons that the Madison High School community and its renaming committee found it so important to honor such a remarkable person in our name change. Someone who so deeply reflects our school’s core values of community, respect, education, equity and diversity should be widely recognized and celebrated as the leader he was -- and through our renaming, we were given the opportunity to make that a reality.
Although we explored a variety of incredible name options, we saw that many of our candidates could (and we hope will) be tributed in the naming of any school in Oregon or even the country. As a past Madison principal and life-long Portland leader, Leodis McDaniel’s closeness to our school sets him apart as someone only our community can truly honor in this way.
McDaniel served Madison High School starting in 1974 as a counselor and later vice principal. He became principal in 1983, which was the position he held until his death in 1987. He was highly admired by students, staff and the Portland community alike and regarded as a selfless leader, who always wore a smile. At the time, he was one of the only Black principals in Oregon and led our school through the difficult task of desegregation and bussing.
Throughout his life, he received numerous awards and recognitions from the many community organizations to which he contributed. Even before our school’s renaming, Madison has long awarded an annual scholarship to a senior in need in McDaniel’s honor.
Leodis V. McDaniel served as principal of the previously named Madison High School from 1983 until his death in 1987.
The changing of James Madison High School’s name has been a community-wide effort for many years. I joined the movement my sophomore year, but the process had begun before I even started at Madison. Our school, located in East Portland along 82nd Avenue, is one of the most diverse high schools in the state with students of color comprising nearly 70% of the school population. Our school welcomes students from Cuba to Ethiopia, and families who speak languages from Somali to Vietnamese. Inevitably, our community began to question how it could be suitable to be represented by James Madison, the fourth U.S. president, who owned over 100 slaves and sold them for his personal profit, even bringing enslaved people to serve him in the White House.
As soon as our committee released McDaniel’s name as an option, we received overwhelming support from students, alumni, parents, past and present staff, and beyond. Both our committee and the school district even received an abundance of support letters from community members sharing heartwarming personal stories and explaining just how much choosing McDaniel to honor with our school’s new name would mean to them. In one letter, a staff member recalls how they had to close the school the day of his funeral because of how many people wanted to attend his service, and described Rose City Cemetery completely lined with students, staff, and the greater Portland community who had been moved by his activism. The letters of many other enthusiasts reiterate just how much he was loved and respected as both a leader and a friend and reflected his lifelong commitment to combating social and racial injustice and bettering the community that he deeply cared for.
Two months ago, the Portland Public School Board voted unanimously in favor of our name change proposal. After years of hard work, James Madison High School’s name was officially changed to Leodis V. McDaniel High School.
This process has been a huge step forward for historically underrepresented communities, creating a foundation for others to build on, and I feel honored to have been a part of it. It’s powerful to know that student voices were heard and my work as a leader on this committee will leave a mark on my community long after I have graduated. Our school’s name should be one that everyone can say with pride and that highlights the strength of our incredible community — and I feel that we were finally able to achieve that at McDaniel High School.
Our choice of Leodis McDaniel is one that embodies our school’s values and uplifts our community. Having our school named after someone who represents me, as a student of color, and who represents many of my peers, is extremely meaningful and validating, especially after years of having a name with the opposite message. A name change isn’t the solution alone, but it is definitely a step towards a more inclusive future — one that empowers every student. My hope is that our successful name change process will encourage others to follow in our footsteps and use their platforms to take an active stand for antiracism.
Donations to the McDaniel scholarship fund can be made by check payable to Oregon Community Foundation with “McDaniel fund” indicated on the check. Mail to Oregon Community Foundation, 1221 SW Yamhill St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97205.
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