John Marshall High School, known colloquially as Jayem, is a secondary public school located in Richmond, Virginia, part of the Richmond Public Schools, serving grades 9–12.
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History
Named after Founding Father John Marshall, who also served as the fourth chief justice of the United States, the school originally opened in 1909, serving an all-white student body. The original school sat at the intersection of Eighth Street and Marshall Street, and was Richmond's first public high school when it opened. It was located behind the historic John Marshall House.
In late 1959, ground was broken for a replacement high school on the grounds of the old Pine Camp Tuberculosis Hospital. Several names were considered by the school board, which chose to re-use the John Marshall name. Following the 1959–60 school year, the original building was closed, with the new facility welcoming students in the fall of 1960. The original building was demolished in 1961, in spite of protests by students. Today, the John Marshall Courthouse complex is located at the site of the old school.
Desegregation arrived at John Marshall in 1961 when three Black students were admitted. Integration quickly followed, to the point where by 1968 the Black student population exceeded that of white students.
Demographics
As of the 2025–26 school year, John Marshall's student body is 76.2% Black, with 88.7% minority enrollment. 116% of students were economically disadvantaged and on the free-lunch program.
Student performance
As of the 2025–26 school year, 33% of John Marshall students had taken at least one AP test, 1% of students had passed at least one AP exam, and the graduation rate was 86%. Proficiency in mathematics was at 77%, while reading and science were at 63% and 72%, respectively.
Notable alumni
Carroll Alley – physicist
T. Coleman Andrews – candidate for President of the United States in 1956
Milton Bell – former professional basketball player
June Carter Cash – Grammy award-winning country singer and songwriter; second wife of Johnny Cash
Clifford Dowdey – writer
Frances Farmer – law librarian and professor
Minetree Folkes – member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Fred Gantt – former professional basketball player
Evelyn Byrd Harrison – classical scholar and archaeologist
Frances Helm – stage, film, and television actress
Kay Coles James – public official
Arrington Jones – former NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers
Charlotte Kohler – literary magazine editor and university professor
John La Touche – lyricist
Frank McCarthy – distinguished film producer, whose production Patton won the 1970 Academy Award for Best Picture
T. Nelson Parker – mayor of Richmond, Virginia, commissioner of insurance
Robert H. Patterson Jr. – lawyer