Leona Tate facts for kids
Leona Tate, born on October 31, 1954, is an important American activist. She is known as a pioneer in the Civil rights movement. Leona was one of the first Black children in the United States to attend a public elementary school that was previously only for white students. This happened in her hometown of New Orleans.
Leona Tate's Story
Early Life and School Integration
Leona Tate grew up in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Her family was chosen to help start school desegregation. This meant ending the separation of Black and white students in schools.
On November 14, 1960, Leona and three other 6-year-old girls made history. These girls were Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne, and Ruby Bridges. They became the first African American children to attend formerly all-white public elementary schools in New Orleans. This was also true for the entire Deep South region.
Leona, Tessie, and Gail went to McDonogh 19 Elementary School. They are often called the "McDonogh Three." Ruby Bridges went to William Frantz Elementary School.
When the girls entered the schools, many white parents took their children out. For 18 months, Leona and the other girls were the only students in their classrooms. People all over the world watched what was happening in New Orleans. Federal marshals, wearing yellow armbands, walked with the girls into the schools each morning. By 9:25 a.m. on that day, two public elementary schools in the Deep South had become integrated.
In 1962, McDonogh 19 became an all-Black school again. So, Leona, Gail, and Tessie moved on. They helped integrate another formerly all-white school, T.J. Semmes.
The integration of New Orleans public elementary schools was a major event. It became a key moment in the history of the American civil rights movement.
The Leona Tate Foundation
In 2009, Leona Tate started the Leona Tate Foundation for Change. Her goal was to buy McDonogh 19. This was the school she, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne had integrated.
Today, Leona and her partners are working to reopen this historic building. It will be called the Tate, Etienne, and Prevost (TEP) Center. This center will be a place to learn about the history of school desegregation in New Orleans. It will also focus on Civil Rights and Black life.
Leona's mission for the TEP Center is to create a safe space. It will be a community hub where people can learn about anti-racism activism. They can also train for social justice work.
