A. P. Tureaud Jr. facts for kids
Alexander Pierre "A. P." Tureaud, Jr. (born c. 1936) is an African-American speaker, artist, teacher, and writer. He is famous for being the first black student at Louisiana State University (LSU). He started there in 1953 after his father, A. P. Tureaud, Sr., took the school to court. However, Tureaud, Jr. was told to leave the school by a court order after just 55 days.
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A. P. Tureaud, Jr.'s Life Story
Born in 1936, A. P. Tureaud, Jr. grew up in New Orleans' Seventh Ward. His parents were his mother and his father, A. P. Tureaud, Sr.. His father was a very important lawyer who fought for civil rights. He helped change laws that separated people based on their race, both in Louisiana and across the country.
Fighting for Education
When A. P. Tureaud, Jr. was 17, his father went to court to help him attend LSU. At first, they won the case. But then, the university took legal action too. A court ordered A. P. Tureaud, Jr. to leave the school.
After he was removed from LSU, the highest court in the United States, the Supreme Court of the United States, made an important decision in 1956. They ruled that LSU was wrong and could not stop students from joining based on their race.
Even after this, A. P. Tureaud, Jr. went on to graduate from Xavier University of Louisiana. He then earned a master's degree from Columbia University.
Career and Recognition
In 1962, A. P. Tureaud, Jr. started teaching at White Plains High School. Later, he became a school administrator, helping to manage the school.
Fifty-eight years after he was told to leave LSU, the university gave him an honorary degree in 2011. This was a special award to recognize his achievements. In that same year, Tureaud and Rachel L. Emanuel wrote a book called A More Noble Cause. This book was about his father's four decades of hard work for civil rights.
Personal Life
In 1960, A. P. Tureaud, Jr. married Faye Frances Darensbourg in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They were married at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Later, they lived in Connecticut with their two sons and two grandchildren.
