Civil rights pioneer Tessie Prevost dies
15th July 2024 · 0 Comments
By Fritz Esker
Contributing Writer
Tessie Prevost, one of the first Black students to integrate McDonough 19 Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960, passed away over the 4th of July weekend. She was 69.
Prevost integrated McDonogh 19 with Gail Etienne and Leona Tate on Nov 14, 1960, six years after the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that declared segregated schools unconstitutional. Prevost was only 6 years old on that historic day.
In a “Heroes Among Us” interview posted on the LSU School of Dentistry website, Prevost recalled hearing the roar of the crowd as she and her classmates approached the school. Prevost thought it sounded like a Mardi Gras parade.
In past interviews recounting their experiences at McDonogh 19, it was reported that all of the girls were spit upon, kicked and that Etienne had even been hit in the stomach with a baseball bat.
White students left McDonogh 19 entirely that year, leaving the McDonogh 3 with the campus to themselves (and the teachers). The school windows were taped over with brown paper to keep out prying eyes. The girls jumped rope and played hopscotch in the hallways because the schoolyard was deemed unsafe.
Even though many were hostile to the school’s integration, Prevost fondly recalled her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Meyers, in the interview with LSU School of Dentistry (where Prevost worked for over 20 years as an administrative assistant). Prevost called Meyers one of the unsung heroes of the civil rights struggle in New Orleans.
“She was sweet, with a wonderful spirit,” Prevost told the LSU School of Dentistry. “She made us feel safe and comfortable…I can’t imagine how difficult that time was for her, a white woman raised in New Orleans, teaching Black children…What kind of support did she have?”
Two years after integrating McDonogh 19, Prevost, along with Etienne and Tate, were transferred to T.J. Semmes School, an integrated school. Prevost told LSU School of Dentistry that every day featured beatings and cursing.
Prevost went on to graduate from the all-Black Joseph S. Clark High School.
Prevost later married, and her name became Tessie Prevost Williams. In the interview with LSU School of Dentistry, she spoke of a presentation she gave with Tate and Etienne about their experiences in Baton Rouge. After the presentation, a white man from Covington approached them. He confessed to being one of the people who taunted them as they approached McDonogh 19. He said he spat on them and called them names. When he asked if the three women would forgive him and shake his hand, Prevost said the women replied “No, we won’t give you a handshake but we will give you a hug.”
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell shared thoughts about Prevost’s impact on the city and the country.
“As one of the ‘McDonogh Three,’ Ms. Prevost was among the first African American students to integrate McDonogh 19 Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960, at just six years old. Facing intense hostility and unimaginable challenges, her courage paved the way for greater educational equality throughout the United States,” said Cantrell in a prepared statement. “Her bravery and determination helped dismantle the barriers of segregation, inspiring countless others in the struggle for justice and equality. Her legacy is a testament to the power of resilience and the impact a single individual can have on the course of history. Tessie Prevost will be remembered not only for her role in the Civil Rights Movement but also for her enduring spirit and commitment to a more inclusive society.”
Congressman Troy Carter Sr. also expressed his admiration and appreciation for Prevost in a press release.
“Tessie Prevost was just a young girl when she bravely walked into McDonogh 19 Elementary School…Her courage and profound impact on New Orleans and our nation will never be forgotten. In her honor, may we continue fighting for equality,” Carter said.
NOLA Public Schools also voiced its gratitude for Prevost’s bravery.
“On behalf of NOLA Public Schools and the Orleans Parish School Board, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Tessie Prevost’s family, friends, and all who were touched by her remarkable life,” said NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams. “May her legacy of courage and commitment to justice forever inspire us to uphold the values of equality and inclusivity in education and beyond.”
The former campus of McDonogh 19 on St. Claude Avenue in the Lower 9th Ward is now the Tate Etienne Prevost Center, a mixed-use facility featuring education and exhibition space dedicated to the history of desegregation of New Orleans Public Schools, civil rights, and restorative justice.
This article originally published in the July 15, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
