Fifty years ago this month, the final graduating class of Hillsborough’s Central High School received their diplomas.

The closing of Central, the school designated for the youth of color in Orange County at the time, marked the official end of segregated schools in the county.

Thomas Watson, who attended the school and co-founded Free Spirit Freedom, recalled the drastic move from Central to desegregated Orange County High School.

“It was a big move to go from Central to Orange for the black community,” said Watson. “It’s a two-sided thing. The white community had it’s own problems with it, but when we look back on it everybody thinks it was a very good move.”

Free Spirit Freedom, which is part of the Hillsborough Arts Council, celebrated the anniversary with a gospel concert and reunion of the 1968 graduating class of Central High at the outdoor Farmer’s Market Pavilion in downtown Hillsborough on Sunday.

Orange County Commissioner and co-founder of Free Spirit Freedom Renee Price said the reunion was meant to be for the entire community to get together and try to move on from the traumatic events of the past.

“There are bittersweet moments that occurred, if you talk to people that actually experienced the transition,” said Price. “Yet we move on, we move forward.”

The festivities lasted throughout the weekend and included an alumni basketball game at Hillsborough Elementary, which is the site of the former Central High.

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