The Liberty Nite Club

This is a very rare ad from 1946, for the Liberty Nite Club. It was very rare for black owned businesses to advertise in white owned newspapers! The Liberty was perhaps one of the most important music venues in the Monroe area. It was a stop on the Chitlin' Circuit and was also renowned as … Continue reading The Liberty Nite Club →

Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella appear at Casino Park

Monroe News-Star article Another jaw-dropper. Can you imagine seeing Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella play? WOW!

First African-American Firefighters in Monroe – 1874

Did you know that Monroe had an all-black Fire Company crew during Reconstruction? They organized in early 1874 and since the Ouachita Fire Company, No 1 had just gotten a new steam fire engine, the new crew were given the old hand engine called Creole, No. 9. They called themselves "the Aetnas" (Aetna Fire Co., … Continue reading First African-American Firefighters in Monroe – 1874 →

Five Children Die in a Fire

This is probably one of the most tragic newspaper articles I have ever read about our history. The article doesn't say that the family were slaves, but you can probably safely assume they were. No names were given. The parents had probably gone out to work in the fields, leaving the older children to watch … Continue reading Five Children Die in a Fire →

Zephemiah Liles frees his slave Ralph

This was found in an old Ouachita Parish newspaper called "The Ouachitta Standard". The issue was dated April 5, 1839. In this ad, Zephemiah announced that he was intending to emancipate his slave Ralph. If there were objections, it would be stopped. According to Dr. Williams' book "Founding Families of the Ouachita Valley", there were … Continue reading Zephemiah Liles frees his slave Ralph →

Slave Market in West Monroe

The Monroe Register, February 9, 1860. And to go along with yesterday's post, here is another from the same newspaper, different day, for a slave market in the town of Trenton, which is now part of West Monroe. I have no idea where in Trenton this was.

Slave sale in Monroe.

Ad from the Monroe Register Newspaper, February 9, 1860. This just makes me shiver. Notice how Granville and Lucinda were husband and wife. Five years later, they all would be free. Did Granville and Lucinda get sold together or were they separated? If they were separated, did they find each other again after freedom came? … Continue reading Slave sale in Monroe. →

Talking Headstones: Richard Barrington

Robert Tanzy has acted in many plays locally. He had retired from the library but was convinced to come back and help us by playing Richard Barrington. He even grew a beard to look the part! https://youtu.be/LuMW5R_jLg8

May Day, 1951

I love the top photo, because I have never seen a photo of Mr. Carroll looking so casual! The May Queen, Miss Della Rosalynne Boughton, was a senior.

Ringing of the Liberty Bell, 1950

I like this page, since it shows all of the grades that attended the school. MCHS had all twelve grades. This happened May 15, 1950, when the liberty bell was tapped by the U.S. Treasury Secretary to kick off a Treasury Bond drive. It was broadcast over the radio.