Holy Ghost High School

Holy Ghost High School (1874–1971) was a private, segregated, Catholic secondary school for African American students in Opelousas, Louisiana, United States. It was the first Catholic parochial school for Black students in the parish. It also was named St. Joseph’s Academy for Colored,^[1] St. Joseph Convent,^[2] St. Joseph School,^[2] Holy Ghost School,^[1] and Holy Ghost Training School.^[1]

Holy Ghost High School
Location
E. Prudhomme Lane, Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States
Information
Former names	St. Joseph’s Academy for Colored, St. Joseph School, St. Joseph Convent, Holy Ghost School (1921–1924), Holy Ghost Training School (1925–1932)
School type	Private
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1874
Founder	Gilbert Raymond, Francis Raymond
Closed	1971
Authority	Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
Succeeded by	Opelousas Catholic School

History

The earliest African American school in the St. Landry Parish was the Grimble Bell School in Washington, Louisiana, founded in the 1830s, and shut down in 1860 by White vigilantes.^[2][3][4] This was followed by new African American schools formed after the end of the American Civil War, The Freedman’s School and the Peabody School.^[1]

The Holy Ghost High School was established in 1874 under the name "St. Joseph’s Academy for Colored" by brothers Fr. Gilbert Raymond and Francis Raymond.^[2][5] The names St. Joseph Convent, and St. Joseph School were also recorded in the early years.^[1] It was the first Catholic parochial school for Black students in the parish.^[1] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana opened a Black church called Holy Ghost Church; and in 1921 Fr. James Hyland merged the St. Joseph School with the church to formed the Holy Ghost School.^[6] The original school building for St. Joseph was demolished in 1955, and rebuilt the next year in the same location; and by 1959 all remnants of the original wooden structure were removed.^[6]

Racial integration and closure

In July 1970, eighteen families filed a lawsuit in federal court applying for an injunction against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana and the two parochial school boards in the city of Opelousas.^[7] They wanted to end racial segregation in the local Catholic schools for Black and White pupils.^[7]

Holy Ghost High School was closed in 1971, and merged along with Academy of the Immaculate Conception (AIC) into Opelousas Catholic School in September 1971.^[1][8][9] The former Holy Ghost High School campus is now used for an elementary school.^[6]

See also

• Rural African American Museum
• Plaisance School

References

1. Hartley, Carola Lillie (July 6, 2018). "Holy Ghost High School, Opelousas, LA". African American High Schools in Louisiana Before 1970. Gannett Louisiana. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
2. Hartley, Carola Lillie (February 22, 2020). "Parlons Opelousas: History of African American education in Opelousas". Daily World. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
3. Dormon, James H. (1996). Creoles of Color of the Gulf South. University of Tennessee Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-87049-917-3.
4. Neidenbach, Elizabeth Clark (April 28, 2011). "Free People of Color from the Early American Period through the Civil War". 64 Parishes. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
5. Hartley, Carola Lillie (2022-02-22). "Tidbits of Opelousas History". St. Landry Now. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
6. "Holy Ghost School St. Landry Parish". African American School Building Revival.
7. "Suit Seeks to Mix AIC and Holy Ghost". Daily World. 1970-07-01. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved 2024-02-19 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Matters Pertaining to Desegregation". Daily World. 1971-04-08. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-02-19 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Opelousas Catholic Wildcats Prospects Not Very Bright". The Daily Advertiser. 1971-09-09. p. 77. Retrieved 2024-02-19 – via Newspapers.com.