Louisiana Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Organization

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Louisiana Interscholastic Athletic and Literary Organization (LIALO) was a segregated student competition league in Louisiana during the 20th-century. It was created as an alternative to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA), which was segregated during that time. At its peak, the LIALO had a membership of 280 schools.

History[edit]

Founding[edit]

The LIALO was founded at Peabody High School in Alexandria, Louisiana in 1935 by William H. Gray, a professor at Southern University.[1][2] Initially created solely for athletic competition, in 1940 it began sponsoring academic competition as well.[1] Academic competitions included speech, woodworking, bookkeeping, mathematics, and music. These competitions went up to the state level, offering a complete alternative to the LHSAA.[3]

Fight for desegregation[edit]

In 1962, the LHSAA removed the "whites only" membership clause from their charter, however, it continued to maintain an unofficial policy of exclusion. St. Augustine High School was one of the first predominantly Black schools to try and switch affiliations to the LHSAA, applying for membership in 1964.[4] In response, the LHSAA voted to only accept new member schools every two years.[5] St. Augustine reapplied in 1965 following a third charter change to require new member schools be subjected to a vote by other member schools. St. Augustine's application was rejected by an 11-185 vote.[4]

In response to its rejection, St. Augustine sued the LHSAA for membership.[4][6] In their lawsuit, which targeted the LHSAA and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, they claimed that predominantly Black schools had been "systematically denied membership in the LHSAA" and asked for the courts to order the LHSAA's integration.[6] The case was heard by Frederick J. R. Heebe in 1967. The LIALO argued that LHSAA benefited from public funds and property and thus was required to desegregate.[7] By contrast, the LHSAA claimed that their member schools were allowed to play games against LIALO member schools and that some LIALO schools were desegregated.[8] The case was decided in favor of St. Augustine and upheld on appeal in 1968, with the ruling stating that St. Augustine be immediately admitted and that the LHSAA cease discriminating against predominantly Black schools. The LHSAA's discrimination was plainly upheld, with the decision stating "no other reasonable inference is supported by the record and no other explanation is offered to us."[9]

Dissolution and legacy[edit]

Following the decision, a large number of schools began to leave the LIALO in favor of the LHSAA in 1969.[10] Before the end of the year, its membership had declined from a historic 280 schools to only 109.[1] The 1969-1970 school year was the LIALO's final year of operation.[11][12]

The LIALO did not have a well-documented structure during its existence and, during its dissolution, many of its records went missing.[13][14] In 2015, a California schoolteacher who grew up participating in the LIALO began an effort to gather and maintain as many of the LIALO's remaining records as possible.[14]

Schools[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Thomas, Bennie (1969-09-13). "LIALO Ponders Its Future". The Louisiana Weekly. p. 17. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Dr. W. H. Gray Jr". The Times. 1972-01-30. p. 26. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Stephen High of Ville Platte Places High in LILAO District Rally". Daily World. 1961-03-05. p. 19. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c d Ferrell, Scott (2012-02-29). "A rocky road leads to LHSAA integration". The Times. p. 25. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Executive Committee Of LHSAA to Meet". The Times. Associated Press. 1965-11-21. p. 47. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Race Barriers Ordered Lowered In Louisiana". The Daily Herald. Associated Press. 1966-02-26. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Negroes Say LHSAA Uses Public Funds". The Town Talk. Associated Press. 1967-01-05. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "US Court Sets La. Sports-Mix Case in March". Daily World. United Press International. 1967-01-08. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Appeals Court Affirms Order In St. Augustine High Case". The Times. Associated Press. 1968-05-10. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Carver, Cohen, B.T.W., Clark, Landry, 35 Directed To Seek Membership In LHSAA". The Louisiana Weekly. 1969-05-24. p. 19. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "75 New Member Schools - LHSAA Meeting Is Under Way Today". The Shreveport Journal. 1970-05-15. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "LIALO All-Star Cage Game Slated Tonight". The Times. 1970-07-28. p. 17. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Hoffpauir, Ken (1969-03-08). "The Second Look". The Crowley Post-Signal. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b Whirty, Ryan (2015-10-19). "Efforts underway for recognition of LIALO, a Black athletic association". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  15. ^ Byrd, Jerry (1981-10-30). "1,000-yard runner is alive and well in high school football". The Shreveport Journal. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-05-15 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Klein, Miranda (2017-08-30). "Alum to mark milestone of black school closed during desegregation". The Town Talk. pp. A2. Retrieved 2023-05-13 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Cypress Grove, Scottville Cop LIALO Track Crowns". Alexandria News Leader. 1965-05-02. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-05-15 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Kriegel, Mark (2008). Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich. Free Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7432-8497-4.
  19. ^ Hunsucker, Adam (2017-12-08). "Journey to the Dome". The News-Star. pp. B1. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louisiana_Interscholastic_Athletic_and_Literary_Organization&oldid=1175790981"