BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism today opened the fourth marker along the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. Located in AZ Young Park in Baton Rouge, this marker honors the first and at 105 miles longest march of the civil rights movement. The civil rights march from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge began 54 years ago, on August 10, 1967. Led by civil rights activist AZ Young, with Robert “Bob” Hicks and Gayle Jenkins, the march from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge was referred to as “105” -miles- Glove. ”While the demonstration met with significant resistance demanding protection from National Guards and the police, the demonstration grew from 25 to 600 people during the trip. On August 20, 1967, during a rally on the steps of the State Capitol, Young presented Governor John McKeithen with a list of complaints about discrimination in the workplace and the election of ten African Americans to run for local office in Bogalusa.
“I am honored to dedicate this marker to the anniversary of the march,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “It took courage and determination to get from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge, and we are proud to recognize this historic event on the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail as we share with visitors the impact our residents have on the national scale Had civil rights movement. ”
Bringing together the events of the 1950s and 1960s that put the state of Louisiana at the center of the national civil rights movement, the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail tells the compelling stories and experiences of the people who dedicated themselves and their lives to realizing civil rights in Louisiana .
Lt. Governor Nungesser unveiled the first three markers along the way in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport last spring. The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail will play an important role in telling Louisiana’s history to residents and visitors.
The Louisiana Office of Tourism is applying for $ 50,000 from the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Grant Program to help create and install 12 interpretive markers in key Louisiana locations on the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. A total of 16 interpretive markers of the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail will be made and installed to tell the stories and demonstrate the power of the people – young, old, black, white in Louisiana during the modern civil rights movement to “Make Rights Real”. The overall goal is to create a cultural tourism experience that invites visitors to explore places and learn more about the events that were significant to the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
A dynamic alternative to traditional historical markers used across the country, the interpretive markers reflect the uniqueness of the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. The interpretive markings are in human silhouettes, two meters high, with photos and texts depicting the people and activities that shaped the story. In honor of the participants, the signage of the physical locations is designed in such a way that they offer the travelers of the trail a compelling, interactive (selfie-able) experience that makes them feel part of the journey of Making Rights Real. Photos of the interpretive maker design are attached as attachments.
The Louisiana Civil Rights markers revealed so far include:
- Bogalusa to Baton Rouge March where civil rights activist AZ Young led the march from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge with Robert “Bob” Hicks and Gayle Jenkins. Young planned to take a list of complaints to Governor John McKeithen on the steps of the State Capitol. Referred to as the “105-mile glove”, the demonstrators faced considerable resistance on their way. By the time the protesters reached the State Capitol, their number had grown from 25 to 600, under the protection of National Guards and police. In his speech on the steps of the state capital, Young voiced complaints about employment and discrimination and called for the election of ten blacks to run for local office in Bogalusa. The demonstrators’ efforts were ultimately successful and resulted in better recruitment and electoral practices.
- The Baton Rouge bus boycott was a historic effort by black residents seeking fair treatment from the local bus company. They made up 80% of the passengers on the city buses, but had to stand in the back of the bus, even if there were seats in the “only white” area of the bus. The old state capital was a major boycott site when drivers gathered under oak trees to find free transportation to work. It also had wider implications for the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was inspired by the freeride system developed in Baton Rouge and used it as a model for the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott.
- Little Union Baptist Church was the epicenter of civil rights activity in Shreveport. Under the dynamic leadership of Reverend Claude Clifford McClain, community members planned to resolve civil rights issues peacefully, planned shop boycotts to protest the hiring practices of downtown businesses, and conducted voter registrations. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his final public appearance and delivered an inspiring speech from the pulpit.
- Dooky Chases Restaurant New Orleans became famous as a place where people of all races could get together and discuss strategies for the civil rights movement. The iconic civil rights activists Oretha Castle Haley, AP Tureaud, Ernest “Dutch” Morial, Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Ralph Abernathy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all gathered in the upstairs dining room. Leah Chase, cook and co-owner with her husband Dooky, famously said: “I like to think that we changed the course of America over a bowl of gumbo.”
That Louisiana Civil Rights Trail informs, inspires and invites visitors to experience and explore Louisiana’s preeminent role in the civil rights movement. The trail reveals inside stories and explores the civil rights era from culture and trade to desegregation and protests and confrontations. Two years in development, the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail was designed with community vision and public filings from across the state in mind. 22 meetings were held in each region of the country, and academics and subject matter experts reviewed all submissions. Like the struggle for civil rights, the work of the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail continues. To learn more about the unique and important history of the movement in the state of Louisiana, or to nominate a place, person, or activity for inclusion, visit LouisianaCivilRightsTrail.com.
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