Save Our Schools

Organization

Staff Only

Historical Note

Save Our Schools was a non-profit organization incorporated on April 26, 1960, by concerned parents and citizens in New Orleans who wanted to maintain free public education during integration of the New Orleans public school system. Initial members were Mary Sand, Kit Senter, Betty Wisdom, Ann Dlugos, Peggy Murison, and Helen Mervis. The members of Save Our Schools were concerned that the public schools in New Orleans would be closed during desegregation when faced with a federal court order to desegregate. This fueled the organization's mission to address this possible crisis by various measures, such as carpools to bring parents and students to desegregated schools and support for families during times of verbal and physical intimidation. The organization also worked to encourage White New Orleans families to send their children to integrated schools following integration.

Citation:

Author: Laura J. Thomson

Abstract:

The records of Save Our Schools held at the Amistad Research Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Save Our Schools records

Collection — Container: 1 folder

Identifier: 329

Scope and Contents The Save Our Schools records document the efforts by this organization, which was founded in April 1960 to maintain free public education in New Orleans during the integration of the public school system. The collection contains organizational records, as well as newspaper clippings and publications collected by SOS and its members. The bulk of the materials within the Save Our Schools collection spans the years 1957 to 1962, with correspondence dating from 1960 to 1962. The...

Dates: Created: 1957-1963; Other: Date acquired: 11/01/1978

Found in: Amistad Research Center / Save Our Schools records

Filtered By

Subject: Segregation in education X