The History of Risley                                       
                                      
                            Colored Memorial School and Risley High School                                                   

Brunswick's first public school for African Americans opened in 1870 as the Freedmen's School.  It was later changed to Risley School to honor Captain Douglas Gilbert Risley, who raised funds for the school's construction.  In 1923, the adjacent building, Colored Memorial High School, was built and named to honor African American veterans in World War I.  In 1936, Risley High School was built on the site of the 1870 Freedmen's School and remained in service until 1955, when a new Risley High School was constructed.  Both the Colored Memorial School and Risley High School are landmarks of African American education in Glynn County. 

The marker was erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Glynn County Board of Education and the Risley Alumni Association
(Text of the Colored Memorial School and Risley High School Historical Marker)