Longe, George, Jr., 1898-1985
Dates
- Existence: 1898-1985
Biographical Statement
George Longe was a New Orleans educator and a community and Masonic leader.
The son of George Longe Sr. and Eugenie Gardier Longe, George Longe was born in New Orleans in July 1898. He was educated in the public schools of New Orleans, Southern University Grammar School, and the Preparatory School of Straight College. Longe was a magna cum laude graduate of Straight College, where he also received a Master of Arts, and he studied history and pedagogy at the University of Chicago. George Longe soon returned to New Orleans, where he taught high school at McDonogh 35.
Longe started as a classroom teacher in 1924, and by 1929 was working in educational administration. He served as principal of McDonogh 36, Albert Wicker, Macarty, and Alfred Lawless schools. In the 1930s, Longe led a small team of local educators to develop curricula for a course on African American history for the New Orleans Public Schools; for this work, he was awarded a certificate of charter membership in The Negro Historical Association of Xavier University. In addition to this work, Longe served as the Chairman of a New Orleans committee that developed a historical exhibit to the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.
Longe was married to Marie Louise Folse Longe in 1924, and the couple had one son, George John Cherrie Longe.
Longe was an active community leader and volunteer. He served as Chairman of the Colored Division of the Community Chest of New Orleans in the 1930s; Chairman of the Orleans Parish Committee of the United States Treasury War Finance Committee during World War II, for which he received the Medal for Distinguished Service from the United States Department of Treasury; Chairman of the Negro Division of the United National Clothing Collection for War Relief in Orleans Parish; a founding member of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans; and a supporter of various grassroots-level campaigns during the Civil Rights Movement. While he was President of the Bunch Club, a New Orleans fraternal organization, the Club suspended its 1961 Mardi Gras ball to instead make donations to groups engaged in social action and civil rights demonstrations.
Longe was elected president of the Louisiana Colored Teachers Association (later the Louisiana Education Association), and he served that organization for over thirty years, including a long period as the editor of its publication, The Louisiana Education Association Journal.
From 1939 to 1971, Longe served as Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Louisiana. Under his direction, the organization changed its focus from a predominantly Creole organization, tripling the size of its membership. Longe also inaugurated lodges under the authority of the Supreme Council of Louisiana in other states.
Longe died on July 23, 1985, in New Orleans.