1877 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT LETTER RELATING TO THE INTEGRATION OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE

On offer is a super handwritten letter by J. L. Cross, dated New Orleans, Sept. 29, 1877 to his sister on arriving in New Orleans: "Our (law) suit-to keep the college (Louisiana Agriculture and Mechanical) in (New Orleans) and at the same time a separate institution (from LSU) has gone against us. I am afraid the removing it to Baton Rouge at this late day will preclude its opening at all this session...." Cross' reference in this letter deals with the two institutions La. A and M in New Orleans and LSU in Baton Rouge. A and M had black students while LSU was segregated...on October 5, 1877 the two institutions were merged together under the name of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical college....which is an obvious disappointment to Mr. Cross and the lawsuit's efforts to prevent this from happening...a look at post war Louisiana and one issue regarding educating blacks and whites. VG.