Manual High School (Manual) is located in the Whittier neighborhood on the east side of Denver, Colorado. It is one of the oldest high schools in the area. It opened its doors in 1896, an institution deeply connected to the community. In 2006, Manual was closed after several failed attempts to fix problems. With heavy advocacy and support, Manual reopened in the fall of 2006 and has made enormous strides in turning the school around. Manual serves a diverse student population in Denver, Colorado.
One of Manual’s many prized treasures is its annual yearbook, which have been published by Manual since 1896. The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Archives houses an extensive collection of bound Manual yearbooks from 1907 to 2005. Early titles of the Manual yearbook include School Days, M, Manual, The Manualian, Memories of Manual, The Annual 15, MTSH, Bricklayer, and commonly recognized, The Thunderbolt.
Notable students who went to Manual include the first African American mayors of Denver, Wellington Webb and Michael Hancock; boxer, poet and activist Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales; and writer Ted Conover. Manual has produced first-rate basketball and baseball players such as Billy Lewis, Daniel Banuelos-Cortez, Michael Ray Richardson and LaVon Williams.
