LaVannes Squires facts for kids

LaVannes C. Squires (born in 1931) was a very important person in sports history. He was the first African-American to play basketball at the University of Kansas. This happened between 1951 and 1954. He was even part of the team that won the National Championship in 1952!

LaVannes was born in Hartsdale, Missouri. He was one of twelve children. His parents were Arthur and Charlotte Squires.

Growing Up: LaVannes' Early Life

LaVannes' father, Arthur, passed away when LaVannes was only three years old. He also lost three of his brothers and sisters because they were very sick. His mother had only gone to school until the fifth grade.

LaVannes said his mother was very proud. She did not like to accept help from others. She worked very hard, and things slowly got better for their family. His mother later remarried, but then divorced. She moved to Planeview, Kansas from Oklahoma. During World War II, she worked in factories making supplies for the war. After the war, they stayed in Planeview.

Because of his mother's strong work ethic, LaVannes also learned to work hard. He did many jobs. He filled coal bins, worked in wheat fields, did construction, and even dug graves.

High School: Academics and Sports

When LaVannes was a teenager in the 1940s, he was tall but quite thin. He was about six feet tall and weighed around 180 pounds. In his senior year at Wichita East High School, he was still small but a great athlete. His friends called him "Felix the Cat" because he was so quick and slender.

His high school was well-integrated, meaning students of all races learned together. Black students were on the student council and cheer team. This sometimes caused problems and riots among students. But LaVannes was making a name for himself both in class and on the basketball court.

LaVannes was the captain of the basketball team at Wichita East. He played as a guard and forward. He earned special honors for being one of the best players in the city and the state. He also did very well in school, graduating in the top ten percent of his class.

College: Kansas Jayhawks Star

LaVannes received many scholarship offers for his sports and school abilities. In 1950, he chose to accept a basketball scholarship from the University of Kansas. He became the university's first African-American sports star and basketball player. LaVannes was the first in his family to go to college. Except for his brother who was in the military, he was also the first to graduate from high school.

During his time at the University of Kansas, LaVannes joined the Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. He was also part of the Owl Society, an honorary group for junior men. Alpha Phi Alpha was the first Black fraternity at the University of Kansas. It was founded on December 2, 1917. The fraternity has a slogan, "Higher Scholastic Attainment," which means aiming for excellent grades.

As a basketball player, LaVannes received a Freshman Basketball Award for the 1950-1951 season. He played guard on the varsity team. He became a very important player for the team that won the 1952 National Championship. Coach Phog Allen said that in his first game, LaVannes "shows fine early coaching and has a lot of fire, enthusiasm and ability." Coach Allen also said that LaVannes was well-liked by his teammates and the fans.

The media guide for the 1951-1952 basketball season agreed with Coach Allen. It said that Squires was a promising player. He was called "clever" and a "quick ball-handler." In 1952, Squires was 6 feet 6 inches tall and a good shooter. He helped the Jayhawks win their first NCAA title that year, often coming off the bench as a substitute.

However, LaVannes became sick with a lung problem. This meant he could not be a starting player for the 1953 season. This was a big loss for the team. LaVannes was known for his speed, strong play, and defense. He earned his letter "K" during the 1953-1954 season.

In 1953, Coach Allen faced criticism from a sports editor named Jim Hall. This happened when Coach Allen left Squires at home in Lawrence. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Tulane and LSU in the South. The team lost both games. Many felt the team lost its reputation by following unfair laws that separated people based on race.

After College: A Career in Business

LaVannes Squires graduated from the University of Kansas in 1954. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. He majored in business administration. Just like in high school, he graduated in the top ten percent of his class.

After college, Squires worked as a junior accountant for "Look" Magazine. This was in Des Moines. A friend of the Kansas men's basketball team managed the office and hired Squires. After about a year and a half, he moved up in the accounting department. He became an assistant and then the manager.

Leading a Bank

LaVannes Squires later became the President of the Bank of Finance. On November 16, 1974, the bank celebrated its tenth anniversary. He worked hard to make the bank financially strong and follow good business rules. For the first time, on August 29, 1974, the bank's 1,300 stockholders received a payment from the bank.

He started as the Chief Executive at the Bank of Finance in 1964. In 1975, the bank had 68 employees. It was ranked number seven in "Black Enterprise: Top 100." This list was created by "Black Enterprise" magazine. It listed the 100 largest businesses in the United States owned or managed by Black people.

Even though the bank had challenges at first, it aimed to help the Black community. The Bank of Finance helped create medical centers, day care centers, homes for the elderly, and many housing complexes. The money they earned from businesses was returned to the local community through things like payroll.

Before his success at the Bank of Finance, Squires worked at the Douglass State Bank in Kansas City, Kansas. He was a teller there for ten years after his accounting job. He moved up to Executive Vice-President. Later, he started a new bank with four other men. It was called the Swope Parkway National Bank in Kansas City, Missouri. This bank opened in July 1968. While he was there, the bank grew to be worth $14.5 million. He then moved to San Diego, where another bank was being planned. Edward Tillmon, a former president of the Bank of Finance, brought Squires to the bank as Executive Vice-President.

Around the 1970s, Squires also opened a real estate company. It was called L.C. SQUIRES REAL ESTATE COMPANY, INC. in Los Angeles. This company was closed in 1982.

LaVannes Squires passed away on February 19, 2021, in Pasadena, California. He was 90 years old.