| Brookhaven Academy | |
| Streetaddress: | 943 Brookway Blvd Ext NE |
| City: | Brookhaven |
| State: | Mississippi |
| Zipcode: | 39601 |
| Country: | United States |
| Pushpin Map: | Mississippi |
| Type: | Independent |
| Established: | 1970 |
| Head Of School: | Jason Case |
| Grades: | K-12 |
| Students: | 575[1] |
| Nickname: | Cougars |
| Accreditation: | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Affiliation: | Mississippi Association of Independent Schools |
| Colors: | royal blue and white |
Brookhaven Academy (BA) is an independent, co-educational college preparatory school in Lincoln County, Mississippi, near Brookhaven. The school was founded in 1970 as a segregation academy.
In January 1970, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Mississippi to desegregate its public schools. Brookhaven Academy, Inc. was founded in 1970 as a segregation academy.[2]
The IRS did not confer non-profit status to Brookhaven Academy Educational Foundation until 1983.[3] [4] [5] In 1988, Black students walked out of nearby Brookhaven High School in protest when that school hired a coach from Brookhaven Academy, which was considered a grievous racial provocation.[6] During the 2015-16 school year, Brookhaven Academy enrolled a single black child. In 2018, the school received attention when it was revealed that U.S. senatorial candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith sent her daughter to this school.[6] [7]
Racial distribution in 2015-16[1]
| Race | Students |
|---|---|
| Native American | 0 |
| Asian | 5 |
| Black | 1 |
| Hispanic | 3 |
| White | 386 |
| Two or more races | 0 |
Surrounding Lincoln County was about 30% Black.
Racial distribution in 2017-2018[8]
| Race | Students |
|---|---|
| Native American | 0 |
| Asian | 6 |
| Black | 2 |
| Hispanic | 1 |
| White | 424 |
| Two or more races | 0 |
Surrounding Lincoln County was about 82% white, 16% Black, and 2% Hispanic.[9]
Brookhaven plays football in the MAIS 4A league.[10]
Other boys' sports are archery, baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, and tennis. Girls' sports offered are archery, basketball, cheerleading, softball, soccer and tennis.[11]