WGNO

Lt. Gov. Nungesser unveils platform to honor heroes who dedicated their lives to Civil Rights Movement in LA

BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has unveiled a platform to honor those who dedicated their lives to the Civil Rights Movement in Louisiana.

On Wednesday Lt. Gov. Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism launched the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail and LouisianaCivilRightsTrail.com which brings together the events of the 1950s and 1960s that placed the state of Louisiana at the center of the national Civil Rights Movement and narrates the compelling stories and experiences of the people who dedicated themselves and their lives to making civil rights real in Louisiana.

Nungesser said, “Louisiana is a state known for many firsts. This is also true in the fight for Civil Rights as Baton Rouge was the site of our nation’s first bus boycott. It was this boycott that inspired the Montgomery bus boycott two years later. Through the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail, we respectfully share these amazing stories of pride and courage.”

The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail is a cultural tourism product that informs, inspires, and invites visitors to experience and explore Louisiana’s prominent role in the modern movement.

The trail reveals the inside stories and examines the civil rights era from culture and commerce to desegregation and protests and confrontations.

Two years in the making, community insight and public submissions from across the state were key in the development of the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail. Following 22 meetings in every region of the state, university scholars and subject matter experts reviewed all submissions.

In the upcoming months, markers will be placed around the state to honor the Civil Rights Movement. A Story of Pride. A Story of Courage. Louisiana’s Civil Rights Story. Be inspired at LouisianaCivilRightsTrail.com. Making rights real.

You can also view a promotional video about the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail.