A Cemetery Puzzle

The 16th of last month, I lead a beginning genealogy lecture at one of the local libraries. We were having technical difficulties with the projector set up, and IT was called. I continued my talk. We were discussing the lack of documentation of African American cemeteries in the area, when one of the IT people … Continue reading A Cemetery Puzzle →

January, The Tailor Ad – 1929

How about his ad, also from the 1929 phone book. Mr. Ibra B. January needs no introduction. He was the best tailor Monroe has ever seen and was a pioneer in the early Civil Rights movement in Monroe.

The Negro Motorist Green-Book – 1940

Lets say you were an African-American living in the United States decades before the Civil Rights movement. You wanted to take your family on vacation out of state, but didn't know what businesses were safe to stay at. You couldn't just walk into any hotel and ask for a room! This little guide became a … Continue reading The Negro Motorist Green-Book – 1940 →

African-American Woman Fishing In Monroe

Some photos leave you wanting more. This one does for me. It is a photo taken in Monroe circa 1930 of a woman sitting on the bank of a bayou/river fishing. Who was this woman? What was her story? What has she been through and seen? It is important that we record our family stories … Continue reading African-American Woman Fishing In Monroe →

A Proposed New Building For the Monroe Academy

Wouldn't this have been a gorgeous building? This was published in the Monroe News Star back in 1913. Professor Foster and the trustees of the Monroe Academy were looking to expand the school space and the following conceptual drawing was made. It never happened to my knowledge. Ten years later, Monroe Colored High School would … Continue reading A Proposed New Building For the Monroe Academy →

Students in Other Parish schools

Last week, I told you about the Monroe Academy, a Leland University affiliate private school for African-American students at the turn of the last century. Leland had affiliate schools all over Louisiana in the 1890s and 1900s and some Ouachita Parish students were sent to these other schools! If the student lived in the western … Continue reading Students in Other Parish schools →

Students and Faculty of the North Louisiana Industrial Institute

The bulletin for Leland University I found these lists of students in, can be seen on the Internet Archives here : https://archive.org/details/bulletin189798191011lela/page/n121/mode/2up?q=%22Monroe%2C+LA%22 . I also found them digitized on the Hathi Trust page and on the Worldcat database. I transcribed from each brochure the list of students, which added up to around 2,300 names! What … Continue reading Students and Faculty of the North Louisiana Industrial Institute →

Monroe’s Ties to a Lost Black University

I am just recently hearing about a private school for African-Americans that was here in the 1890's and the early 1900's. To call out my own biases, I thought that Wisner Colored High School was the only school for African Americans during this time period. I knew of at least one small private school, but … Continue reading Monroe’s Ties to a Lost Black University →

Lincoln School

This picture is amazing! https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-bsc%3A44 It shows the faculty and staff of Lincoln School, which was an African American school during segregation. In 1962 or so, the Elm Street Elementary School was renamed Lincoln Elementary and the old Lincoln School became Carroll Jr. High. I am not sure if this Lincoln Elementary or Carroll Jr. … Continue reading Lincoln School →

Mahalia Jackson Comes to Monroe

In 1970, the Queen of Gospel herself, Mahalia Jackson sang at the Monroe Civic Center. Mayor Jack Howard presented her with a Pacemaker Bracelet and rolled out the red carpet for her. Mrs. Irma DeTiege took her around town and they made visits to several local pastors in the area. Among the songs Mrs. Jackson … Continue reading Mahalia Jackson Comes to Monroe →