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Brandon WalkerMay 16, 2012HIST 190Dr. Franklin

Civil Rights in New Orleans, Louisiana

The collective efforts of men and women to redefine their circumstances and create social

change in their communities during the 1950s and 60s, became known as the Civil Rights

Movement. These individuals, both young and old, fought for what they believed to be basic

rights that everyone was entitled to. They fought to break down social barriers within education,

employment, housing, and other public spaces. Through a series of protests and political actions,

these individuals were able to have their voices heard. Jet Magazine reported on 21 October

1954 that in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first interracial football game held in the city. The

game was played between Xavier University and Keesler Air Force from Biloxi, Mississippi,

with Xavier as the victor. This event sparked the breakdown of racial barriers.

The New York Times published on 16 May 1957 a report that federal district court Judge

J. Skelly Wright declared that state laws requiring segregation on buses and public parks were

unconstitutional. Moreover, Wright fought to have permanent injunctions put in place to end the

enforcement of the law. Additionally, on 14 February 1958 the New York Times reported that

U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals approved three orders issued by lower courts to end

segregation in New Orleans public schools, city parks, and public transportation, and at

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. The court injunction against the New Orleans school

board ordered it to refrain from requiring segregation in any schools under its supervision.

Although segregation continued, there was an appeal decision pending at the U.S. Supreme

Court. Consequently, according to an article by New York Times, a cross was burned in front of

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the home of federal judge J. Skelly Wright because he signed the orders ending segregation on

the city's public transit.

On 29 and 30 November 1958, the New York Times announced the banning of the

Louisiana law by the U.S. district court that prohibited competition between black and white

athletes. However, this victory did not affect the Louisiana law mandating segregated seating at

public events. By 8 January 1959, "Negroes [were] permitted to use all park facilities―the tennis

courts, baseball fields, the golf courses, the amusement rides―all facilities" (98), according to

Jet Magazine. Furthermore, Jet Magazine published on 12 May 1960 a report that a lower-court

ruling to outlaw segregation in city parks in Montgomery was upheld by the U.S. Fifth Circuit

Court of Appeals.

On 6 December 1960, the New York Times noted that reports indicated that the school

integration crisis caused New Orleans hotels, some department stores, and restaurants trades to

lose 20 to 40 percent in business. Following that article, on 18 and 22 December 1960, New York

Times included a story about the release of funds necessary to pay the salaries of teachers in

newly integrated Franz and McDonogh Elementary School in New Orleans. Additionally, on 5

June 1961, New York Times reported that Justice Department officials argued against a Louisiana

law authorizing school boards to close schools if majority of the local electorate approved.

School officials were no longer allowed to subjectively close to avoid integration. Moreover, on

31 August 1961 New York Times reported that Louisiana's school-closing law was struck down

by a three-judge federal court.

During this era, many individuals faced discrimination on all levels. On 1 June 1957,

Southern School News reported that the Urban League was dropped from membership by votes

of Community Chest officials in New Orleans. The New York Times announced on 4 March 1961

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that superintendent Shelby Jackson was placed on three weeks probation for interfering with

Orleans Parish school board actions and withholding salaries, lunch funds, new textbooks, and

certifying new teachers. Also in the New York Times on 6 May 1961, while testifying before the

U.S. Commission of Civil Rights, voter registrar Mary Fox failed the test she used to determine

if African Americans were qualified to vote. By 17 October 1961, according to New York Times,

Justice Department officials asked the federal district courts to end discrimination against

African Americans wishing to vote in Plaquemine Parish, Louisiana. In a Jet Magazine article on

3 January 1963, in response to being turned away at the Royal Orleans Hotel, it was reported

CORE leader James McCain filed a suit challenging Louisiana's law enforcing segregation in

hotels and rented housing.

From 20 through 30 April 1962, New York Times shared the story regarding the Boyd

family that was sent to New York from New Orleans on a one-way bus by members of the White

Citizens Council because the family was impoverished. NAACP officials called their actions "a

pretense to maintain segregation" (166). In a Jet Magazine article on 6 September 1962, FBI

agents began photographing voter records to determine whether there was racial bias in

registering people.

According to an article in the New York Times on 6 September 1962, J. Skelly Wright

declared the section of the law that required Tulane University to remain segregated

unconstitutional. The law was written in accordance with the white-only provisions in the wills

of Paul Tulane and Sophie Newcombe. The decision paved the way for black enrollment at the

university. In addition, Jet Magazine reported on 21 November 1963 that Sybil Morial, wife of

the city NAACP leader Ernest Morial, ordered a suit challenging that state law prohibiting

educators from joining groups advocating integration. The Southern School News reported on 1

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February 1964 that Virginia Cox Welch, a white teacher, filed a suit seeking permission to enroll

in a course at the all-black local branch of Southern University in New Orleans.

The New York Times reported on 7 September 1955 that a Xavier University professor

and insurance executive became the first African Americans to serve on the grand jury in New

Orleans. Following that report, on 1 January 1957 New York Times noted that the NAACP began

operating in the state of Louisiana again. NAACP attorney Tureaud turned over three-hundred

names of members listed to the state attorney.

On 27 August 1955, the Southern School News reported that the desegregation of the

city's Roman Catholic schools was to be delayed until September 1956 by Archbishop Joseph

Rummel. Moreover, on 1 October 1995 Southern School News reported that petitions were

presented for the desegregation of New Orleans public schools. In Jet Magazine on 30 August

1956, the desegregation of the Roman Catholic schools in New Orleans was postponed for the

second time until September 1957. According to Southern School News, on 1 February 1957,

federal judges issued orders to admit black students after lawsuits were filed by attorney A. P.

Tureaud against Southwestern State Institute, Southwestern State College, and McNeese State

College. The suits were aimed at testing the constitutionality of the law requiring "certificates of

eligibility" for admission to state colleges in Louisiana.

On 17 April 1957 New York Times reported that the law requiring the certificate of

eligibility was declared unconstitutional. On September 9, 10, 13, and 14 1958, the New York

Times declared that ten black students filed suits to be admitted to Louisiana State University at

New Orleans (LSUNO), and U.S. district court judge Herbert Christianberry issued a preliminary

injunction against LSUNO's biased admissions policy. When judge Christianberry's injunction

was upheld by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Courts of Appeal four days later, fifty-nine black students

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was admitted to LSUNO. Additionally, in Jet Magazine on 17 May 1960, J. Skelly Wright

ordered six all-white public schools, schools in New Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge, and St.

Helena parishes to desegregate. Furthermore, the New York Times reported on August 30 and 31

that judge J. Skelly Wright postponed the integration of eleven thousand first graders for two

months. Following that report, the New York Times also reported on 11 November 1960 that J.

Skelly Wright issued a court order that banned new segregation laws and prohibited state

interference with public school desegregation. Members of the Orleans parish school board voted

to integrate schools. Five black girls were placed in all-white schools. Following this, the New

York Times also reported on 15 November 1960 that U.S. Marshals escorted four black first

graders into two all-white schools.

Jet Magazine reported on 23 November 1961 that Dr. Daniel Thompson, black leaders,

citizens, and high school students started registration drive for 100,000 voters. According to

Southern School News on 1 September 1962, a lawsuit by Wilmer Reed to enroll his son in

Reeds Chapel School in Alabama was dismissed by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Also, the New York Times reported on 5 September 1962 that Catholic schools in New Orleans

were desegregated for the first time in the fifty years without any major violence. However, there

were boycotts against Our Lady of the Good Harbor School. By 7 October 1962, the New York

Times stated that Catholic officials declared boycotts against newly desegregated Catholic

schools were a failure. The New York Times reported on 13 December 1962 that two African

American women, Mrs. Pearlie Hardin Elloie and Barbara Marie Guillory, were accepted into

Tulane University in response to the order issued by federal judge J. Skelly Wright. What is

more, in Jet Magazine on 18 April 1963 a black medical student was refused service at Louisiana

State University. Black employees walked out in support and students picketed. As a result, the

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cafeteria was closed. The Southern School News reported on 1 August 1964 that Linda Cal

Woods had been expelled from school in Birmingham after she was arrested for participating in

a demonstration to protest for civil rights. By 1 April 1965, seven new school segregation suits

were filed in federal district courts, according to Southern School News. Moreover, Southern

School News reported on 1 June 1965 that two of Louisiana's three remaining "one-race"

institutions were desegregated. Between 1954 and 1965, many youths and students participated

in pickets and demonstrations in New Orleans. They sacrificed their education to improve the

rights of Blacks and other groups as well.