National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

The Louisiana Colored Teachers’ Journal (LCTJ) was created in 1925 as the organ of the Louisiana Colored Teachers’ Association LCTA.  The growth and development of black people in Louisiana depended largely on their ability to adjust to existing conditions.  However, conditions were such that adjusting and adapting to maintain a level of subsistence with the dominant sector of the system was not easy. Black educators and concerned parents throughout the State of Louisiana saw that a tremendous gap had to be bridged if they were ever going to get into a position to step into or challenge the social, political, or educational structure of the state.  There were significant problems that the state educational leaders were not addressing themselves to enhance the black communities.  However, through the pioneering efforts of men and women in 1901 an idea to initiate change was born. The LCTJ was edited from December 1926 through May 1948 by John Sebastian Jones.  Jones was a leading Negro educator in Louisiana from 1898 to 1953.  He was also a building agent for Works Progress Administration (WPA) Education Program, assistant state agent for Negro education, and public relations counsel for the State Industrial School for Colored Youths. He was also Jeanes Supervisor for the state of Louisiana and Director of the Academic Department of the Teachers Training Program.

The John Williams Photograph Collection is composed primarily of photographic material accumulated as the owner and operator of his photographic studio from 1957 through 2005. John Williams was also the first African-American staff photographer for the State Times and Morning Advocate newspapers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The materials include prints, 35 mm film, negatives, and transparencies primarily of Southern University and A&M College, and the Baton Rouge community. Also containing photographs surrounding Southern University’s History with Civil Rights.

The Southern University Digest is the official student newspaper publication. This publication is a valuable aid in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and providing an environment that fosters intellectual exploration on the university campus. The year span of the digitized newspapers papers is from 1927-1970.