The year 2018 in review…

Over the past year, the first full calendar year for the website, we have collected the histories of many of the African American High Schools in Louisiana. We collected and posted yearbooks for over 50 of the high schools of that time period and gave each school we posted a web page. For most of the schools, it was their first and only web page ever. In some cases we had an assortment of momentos and we posted those as well. We also made a map of where all of the schools from that time period are located.

That being said, the following schools have been viewed the most time over the past year….

The Chaneyville High School page has been viewed thousands of times, making it the most viewed school on the website.

We also expanded our coverage of the LIALO. We posted Newspaper articles from 1960s. We are currently working on a page for Coaching Pioneers. If you have any coaches you would like to honor from that time period, send them to us and we will post their stories.

Lastly, we expanded our coverage of the history the time period. All of the high schools in the National Register of Historic Places have been added. Reports on events that continue to have an effect on Louisiana have been added. We will continue to add more in 2019.

Work on the website is far from finished. While we have obtained pictures for most of the mascots, we may not have the history of those high schools. Please continue to provide us with those high school histories. Also note that the list of high schools may not be complete. Some of the smaller high schools throughout the state may not be listed. We would like to add the history of any of the African American High Schools that are not on the list. We would like to add history from that time period as well. Any newspaper articles or significant events regarding the High Schools you would like to add? Contact us and we will post it.

Many of our visitors have discovered the website through Facebook shares. The site has grown to the point where all you have to do to find the website is google “Louisiana African American High Schools” or something similar and our website will be near the top. You couldn’t do this January 2018.

Thanks to our viewership, this site is the largest collection of the history of African American High Schools in Louisiana and we would like to increase this collection in the 2019. We hope you continue to enjoy the site. Thank you very much to all the people who have spread the word about this website and please continue to spread the word.

The Late Sandra Parker’s McDonogh 35 1957 Scrap Book

 

Sandra Parker

The sole scrap book of an individual’s high school experience was provided to this site by the family of the late Sandra Parker. She was the valedictorian of the McDonogh 35 1957 Class. The memoir details the individual experience of a senior at McDonogh 35 High School. Aspirations of various people are imagined. School activities were  images of the times. We reflect and remember our personal high school experiences.

McDonogh 35 High School, New Orleans


Roneagle mascot

African American residents of New Orleans entered 1917 with new aspirations. John McDonogh, a late 19th century  entrepreneur, provided a grant to make this high school a reality. McDonogh 35 became the first public high school in New Orleans.  Often referred to as “35” , McDonogh has been a pillar of hope, achievement and excellence in New Orleans and its surrounding area since its inception. The eagle seen by others is the revered  Roneagle  of McDonogh 35. They are proud of their mascot and its endurance is a story in itself. Three year books from the Roneagles are available from the mid to late 1960s.