[6] Founded by philanthropist and women's rights advocate Brenda Brown Rever,[6] it opened in 2009 with 120 students.

It initially only served 6th graders,[7] and was located on the third floor of the Western High School building.

[6] The people of Western High School opposed the idea of BLSYW being housed in that building.

In 2010 BLSYW moved into its permanent campus, the former headquarters of the Greater Baltimore Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) in Mount Vernon, making it the first newly established public school in that area in a three decade period.

[10] As of 2016[update] the head of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Carla Hayden, is on the board of directors of BLSYW.