Louis Berry facts for kids

Louis Berry (born October 9, 1914, died May 3, 1998) was a very important lawyer. He was the first African American allowed to practice law in his hometown of Alexandria, Louisiana. At that time, many places in the United States, especially in the South, had laws that kept Black and white people separate. This was called segregation. Louis Berry worked hard to fight against these unfair laws.

Louis Berry: A Champion for Justice

Louis Berry was a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He helped many people in Louisiana. His work made a big difference in how Black citizens were treated. He opened doors for others to follow.

Early Life and Education

Louis Berry was born in Alexandria, Louisiana. His father, Frank Berry Sr., worked as a tailor and grocer. Louis went to Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. This was a historically black university. He graduated from law school in 1941.

Breaking Barriers in Law

On August 1, 1945, Louis Berry made history. He became the first African American lawyer to practice law in Louisiana since 1927. He wanted to join another Black lawyer, A. P. Tureaud, in New Orleans. However, Tureaud could not hire another lawyer then.

Instead, Berry worked with John Perkins, a lawyer licensed in Mississippi. In 1947, the Southern University Law Center opened in Baton Rouge. Many Black lawyers were asked to teach there. Louis Berry later became the dean of the Southern Law Center. He held this important position from 1972 to 1974.

Fighting for Voting Rights

Louis Berry returned to Alexandria before 1950. Back then, new lawyers needed to be introduced to the local lawyers' group. White attorneys often refused to introduce Black lawyers. They even made fun of Berry.

But a powerful white lawyer named Camille Gravel stepped up. He called Berry and offered to introduce him. This was a very brave thing to do in the segregated South. Berry became the only Black lawyer in Alexandria. He worked much like Jesse N. Stone did in Shreveport. Stone later became president of the Southern University System.

Berry worked with Black ministers in his area. They helped African American citizens register to vote. This was after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. This law was signed by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. It removed unfair tests that stopped Black people from voting. Because of this, many more Black citizens in Alexandria were able to vote.

A Lasting Legacy

The local newspaper, The Alexandria Daily Town Talk, said that Louis Berry's actions greatly improved life for the Black community. Berry once said, "Young people will be surprised to know the conditions under which blacks had to exist at the time, for they really had no rights that anybody was bound to respect." This shows how much things changed because of people like him.

In 1996, Louis Berry was honored for his work. He was added to the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield. Camille Gravel, the lawyer who helped him, had been inducted a year earlier. Louis Berry passed away on May 3, 1998, in Lafayette, Louisiana. His legacy as a civil rights lawyer continues to inspire.