Escambia High School opened in 1958 as an all-white high school to accommodate the southwestern portion of Escambia county. The school quickly grew in population exceeding enrollment of all other county schools with over 2000 students within Escambia's first five years. Students at Escambia adopted the Rebel as a mascot along with Dixie as a fight song and The Confederate flag was displayed at all school events.

The school was forcibly desegregated in 1969 in response to the Augustus v. School Board of Escambia County court case and although the enrollment of Black students grew, they still remained an overwhelming minority.

The mid-seventies saw numerous boycotts, walkouts, and riots, as Black students at the school and the NAACP began to challenge the Rebel mascot stating that the symbols generated a feeling of inequality and inferiority among the Black students. The school saw several mascot changes including The Escambian, The Raider, and The Patriot. On February 5, 1976, a four-hour riot broke out after a vote failed to reinstate The Rebel as mascot.

The school finally settled on The Gator as a mascot which remains to this day. The school boasts an impressive list of alumni including all-time leading NFL rusher Emmitt Smith and several Major League Baseball players.