Alice R. Geoffray papers

The papers primarily document the career of Dr. Alice R. Geoffray. Some materials pertain to the Adult Education Center (AEC) as well, including letters, emails, and other correspondence from AEC graduates, faculty and board members (2000-2003). Formats include articles, correspondence, programs, brochures, publications, textbooks, press releases, newsletters, expense reports, emails, and publications written by Geoffray regarding business professional speeches. Other items include fundraising brochures, student mailing lists, and AEC commencement programs (1971-1972).

Writings and speeches written by Geoffray date from 1969 to the early 2000s. Speeches include award acceptances from the YMCA, keynote address for the Dominican High School graduating class of 1999, and a 1970 speech about AEC given by Geoffray, titled “How the Adult Education Center was Born, How it Dies, and Why It Rose From the Dead.” Other writings in the papers include Geoffray’s dissertation, A Study of the Relationship Between the Self-Concepts of Disadvantaged Adult Education Center Graduates of 1970 and 1971 and Their Job Success (University of New Orleans, 1978); reports that cover activities of four programs conducted by the AEC (1968-1971); vocation education textbooks; and guides, publications, and reports written by Geoffray regarding business professional speech. Lastly, Geoffray’s incomplete draft of her memoir is included in the papers (2000s).

The papers are extremely rich in visual documentation of Geoffray’s career, as well as the AEC. Photographs date from 1966 through the1980s and consist of mostly black and white prints. Images cover AEC students’ profile photographs, graduation ceremonies, and capture moments of Geoffray with faculty, staff and students in the classroom. Of interest is a black and white photograph of Dr. Alice R. Geoffray with Ernest “Dutch” Morial, the first Black mayor of New Orleans (1978 to 1986). Other visual items in the papers include audiovisual documentation of Geoffray’s life. The papers contain three VHS tapes which document Geoffray’s retirement party and two short films on VHS, The School That Would Not Die (1968; 30 mins) and Quiet Heroes (1983; 3 mins). Also included is a 32mm film of The School That Would Not Die. One audiocassette tape documents an interview of Geoffray with Emmy Award-winning reporter and radio talk show host, Monica Pierre from WQUE FM radio station.

A nomination proposal for New Orleans Public Schools Renaming Initiative, written by Dr. Alice R. Geoffray’s daughter, Jeanne Geoffray, is included in the papers (March 16, 2021). Other material includes “MamaDoc” (2000), which are interviews with AEC graduates; copies of transcripts for episodes 1-12 of the Exchange Place Podcast (June 29, 2023), curated by Jeanne Geoffray and Jeff Geoffray (Alice Geoffray’s son).