How far they came must be measured against where they began.

This 119-year history of the oldest private black prep school in the United States comes alive through extensive interviews and records now uncovered for the first time. Accounts of Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie and NBA Hall of Famers Sam Jones and Charlie Scott, among many distinguished graduates and faculty members, paint a vivid picture.

Ranked sixth nationwide among high schools in producing the most NBA players, Laurinburg Institute also sent more than 60 players to Division I college basketball teams all across the county. At least 50,000 students built a new world based on the firm foundation of Laurinburg Institute and four generations of the McDuffie family.

Paperback, 304 pages, $34.05; e-book, $25.99.