From a USM Fan

[CajunFun]

Louisiana

Yes. A scant 3 months after the ruling, UL (SLI) admited, not a token one or two black students, but 80.

The story goes that black leaders were pushing for a black college in Breaux Bridge. President Joel Fletcher was hardly a liberal, but he didn't think another local public college would be good for SLI. So, as I heard it, he was watching Brown v Board go through the courts, and thought the plaintiffs would prevail; he called in the local leaders pushing for the college and told them, "Sue us. We will put up a token resistance, and if the Supreme Court rules as it looks like they will, we will admit your sons & daughters here."

It was hardly perfect, but the administrators and the black students met weekly to head off any problems early. And the administration kept the media out, which is why almost no one has ever heard about it. But we were badly beaten up by the Legislature, the Boards, and the other schools.

Soon after, however, McNeese & Nicholls joined us, and also desegregated.

Next question: Who were the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against SLI?

[Turbine]

Yes. A scant 3 months after the ruling, UL (SLI) admited, not a token one or two black students, but 80.

The story goes that black leaders were pushing for a black college in Breaux Bridge. President Joel Fletcher was hardly a liberal, but he didn't think another local public college would be good for SLI. So, as I heard it, he was watching Brown v Board go through the courts, and thought the plaintiffs would prevail; he called in the local leaders pushing for the college and told them, "Sue us. We will put up a token resistance, and if the Supreme Court rules as it looks like they will, we will admit your sons & daughters here."

It was hardly perfect, but the administrators and the black students met weekly to head off any problems early. And the administration kept the media out, which is why almost no one has ever heard about it. But we were badly beaten up by the Legislature, the Boards, and the other schools.

Soon after, however, McNeese & Nicholls joined us, and also desegregated.

Next question: Who were the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against SLI?

I see you are getting progressively harder

I could tell you the first enrollee and first graduate but I don't know this one.

[HelmutVII]

_——remember part of EASY RIDER was filmed in the Franklin/Morgan City area!

Right but the lady in the video is from Franklin Tennessee

[ZoomZoom]

Carolyn’s IG

https://www.instagram.com/carollynnxavier/?hl=en

Ok Fun, who were the attorneys? EWE?

[jaxmc1023]

The story goes that black leaders were pushing for a black college in Breaux Bridge. President Joel Fletcher was hardly a liberal, but he didn't think another local public college would be good for SLI. So, as I heard it, he was watching Brown v Board go through the courts, and thought the plaintiffs would prevail; he called in the local leaders pushing for the college and told them, "Sue us. We will put up a token resistance, and if the Supreme Court rules as it looks like they will, we will admit your sons & daughters here."

It was hardly perfect, but the administrators and the black students met weekly to head off any problems early. And the administration kept the media out, which is why almost no one has ever heard about it. But we were badly beaten up by the Legislature, the Boards, and the other schools.

Another UL story that starts with "as the story goes".. This university has more history told thru hearsay and rumor than any other that I've ever heard of.

Meanwhile, our friends at the Advocate run stories like these: https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana...c1cb53ced.html

[Turbine]

There is a reason more federal patent cases are filed in Texas than anywhere else.

It's because two federal courts are KNOWN to be favorable to patent plaintiffs.

There was a reason they chose to use SLI for the precedent setting court case in Shreveport.

Besides the case being needed to get the Board of Education's segregation edict off the books, they needed a quick acting example.

Opposite end of the spectrum but they chose SLI not because SLI was the most obstinate but because they had made it clear they would be willing participants on the still necessary litigation.

There is a reason plaintifs choose Texas for patent litigation, similarly but not identically the favorable outcome was the reason they chose SLI and Clara Dell Constantine for the case in Shreveport.

[Turbine]

Next question: Who were the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against SLI?

Thurgood Marshall
A.P. Tureaud ??

[CajunFun]

Carolyn’s IG

https://www.instagram.com/carollynnxavier/?hl=en

Ok Fun, who were the attorneys? EWE?

Yes, Alexander Pierre (A.P.) Tureaud, and eventual SCOTUS Justice, Thurgood Marshall.

I treated Tureaud's grand-niece and grand-nephew in the UL Clinic many years ago.

[CajunFun]

Clara Dell Constantine was the first plaintiff in the case, but she wasn't the first African-American graduate.

1) Who was?

2) Where does her portrait hang?

3) Who spearheaded the portrait?

[BeauCajun]

1) Christiana Smith