On July 25^th 1970 a group of black Roman Catholics asked the federal court to order the Catholic school system of Opelousas, Louisiana to desegregate.  If successful the suit could have been instrumental in keeping parochial schools across the south from being used as havens of segregation. Many southern Catholic school officials refused to allow their schools to enroll pupils fleeing from integrated public schools. However, some accepted the fleeing whites and in doing so served the same purpose as did private schools set up to maintain segregation. A class action suit, known as the “Auzenne Case” after the last name of the lead plaintiff, was filed on June 24^th 1970. Results came swiftly and, by August 6^th 1970, the decision was made that by the 1971 school year Holy Ghost and Academy of the Immaculate Conception would “pair” according to the plan established by the Diocesan School Board.

Before this historic “pairing” Holy Ghost School was a thriving center of education for children of color in Opelousas and the surrounding area.

Holy Ghost School, an all black Catholic school and the Academy of the Immaculate Conception, a traditionally all white Catholic school that had five black students at the time, were situated on the same church property. They were separated only by a cemetery, which was integrated.

Holy Ghost School was established in Opelousas in 1874 as St. Joseph’s School and was conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Family, the religious community of nuns of color founded in New Orleans, Louisiana.

St Joseph’s School 1914

The name of the school was changed to Holy Ghost in 1952 and it became the first school for children of color in the state of Louisiana to become accredited. It has educated children of color from Opelousas and the surrounding area for well over 100 years.

In 1959 Holy Ghost School produced its first yearbook, The Dove, in which it showcased many of the accomplished students and the faculty. This first issue was dedicated to Father Francis J. Smith, C.S.Sp. The students wrote,“…as an expression of love and appreciation…our pastor who since 1959 has been a spiritual guide and real father, and who, out of deep interest in our welfare, built our beautiful new school, and who with Sister Mary Boniface, our Principal, has always worked to develop us into good Catholic citizens and leaders, we dedicate this first issue of The Dove.”

Father Francis Smith

Sister Mary Boniface, Principal

Marva Broussard in Economics Class

Additional pictures of students from The Dove 1959 yearbook will be shared in future posts.

Sources: “Parochial School Desegregation Asked by Catholics in Louisiana,” New York Times, July 26, 1970, https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/26/archives/parochial-school-desegregation-asked-by-catholics-in-louisiana.html ; “The 3 R’s of Nonpublic Education in Louisiana,” https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED058492.pdf  ; The Dove yearbook 1959, New Orleans Public Library.

Lenora Gobert

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