Dixie Hollins High School in St. Petersburg will drop 'Dixie'

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A local high school is changing its name in an effort "to drop the last remaining references to the confederacy."

Unlike most schools, Dixie Hollins High School in St. Petersburg is commonly known by its namesake's first name, "Dixie," and not his last name. But, that's changing. The "Dixie Rebels" will be no more.

10 Investigates told you last month about Florida schools named after Confederate figures getting renamed, but this school wasn’t one of them. The reason? This school is not named after a Confederate figure. It’s named after Dixie M. Hollins, the first superintendent of Pinellas County Schools who was actually known for promoting the rights of Black students, according to the district.

But everyone knew the school as Dixie, and when you combine that with Rebels, proponents of the name change said it sounds Confederate.

A Pinellas County Schools spokesperson said while the official school name remains Dixie M. Hollins High School, it will now be referred to as Hollins High School for short. And, the old nickname, the Rebels, has been replaced with the "Royals."

Blue and white will remain the school colors.

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"The principal, student leaders and staff met over the summer and agreed it’s time to drop the last remaining references to the confederacy," the district wrote in an email. "The news was shared with the student body on the first day of school and they too agreed."

“We often were called Dirty Dixie," Nicole Preil, a senior at the school explained to 10 Investigates' Jenna Bourne.

Preil is the drum major of the school’s marching band.

“I believe that it causes people to unfairly judge the people, and the teachers, and the academics of our school because of the ideals of a name and a mascot. But that is not really who we are.”

Students will vote on a new logo from a selection of four examples made by art students and based on the present crest design.

"The school’s decision is not unique, schools across the country have made similar decisions and dropped references that while unintentional or not, negatively affect groups of individuals," the district explained. "The school will work on changing its marquee, adding new signage and updating its social media platforms during this academic school year."

The school opened in 1959, and it made sense to name it after the district's first superintendent.

Dixie M. Hollins was not alive for the Civil War. But, some grew concerned about his name, the Rebels nickname and the school's Confederate colonel logo being used together.

"When you marriage Dixie Rebels with Confederate paraphernalia, that conjures up a connection to a past, and a racist past," explained Principal Robert Florio. "We’re not erasing history. I think, like anything else, we’re re-introducing ourselves to a community with a new brand and a new reference.” 

The district and Florio maintain the move wasn't meant to take away from Superintendent Hollins' legacy.

"Superintendent Hollins was known for promoting the rights of Black students," the district said in an email. "Mr. Hollins made sure they were taught by certified teachers and attended a full school day instead of just a few months per year."

Hollins donated land for both Madeira Beach Elementary and Middle Schools, and his estate still helps fund the music program at Hollins High School.

Hollins was born in Texas in 1887 and moved to Clearwater with his wife in 1908. He became superintendent in 1912. He died in October 1962 at age 75.

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In Jenna Bourne's "What’s Brewing" YouTube series, she reported last month that more than a dozen Florida public schools are named after Confederate figures, including two in Hillsborough County. About half of those schools may soon be renamed, but for now, not the ones in Hillsborough.

Jackson Elementary was originally named Stonewall Jackson Elementary, after the famous Confederate general. Lanier Elementary was named after a Georgia poet who also fought in the Confederate army.

Hillsborough County Public Schools told us no name changes are in the works for those schools right now.

RELATED: Half of Florida’s schools named after Confederate figures may soon be renamed

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