Violet Consolidated High School
Violet Consolidated High School was built in 1951 and served students in the local community. It was later renamed in honor of Willie Smith Jr., who was likely a former principal of the school. A notable member of the faculty community of the school was Coach Donald “Doc” Moore, who was the head basketball coach at Violet Consolidated. His basketball teams won 12 consecutive Louisiana Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Organization (LIALO) District Championships, two Zone Championships, and one State Runner-Up title. After his retirement, the St. Bernard Parish School Board unanimously proclaimed that the gymnasium at W. Smith Jr. Elementary School be renamed and known officially as the Donald “Doc” Moore Gymnasium, in recognition of his outstanding leadership as a coach, mentor, and friend to the young men of the Violet and St. Bernard Parish communities. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Camp Hope housed volunteers assisting residents of St. Bernard Parish in the school during their recovery. The elementary school is still in operation today.
African American High Schools in Louisiana Before 1970 