2016 Second Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 2
BY SENATOR BROWN AND REPRESENTATIVE JORDAN
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend and congratulate the West Baton Rouge Parish Museum, its director and
exhibit team for the exhibit, "Cohn High School: How We Love Thee".
WHEREAS, the West Baton Rouge Museum, accredited by the American Alliance
of Museums, organized the exhibit "Cohn High School: How We Love Thee" in honor of
the now demolished Cohn High School (1949-1969) established to educate students of color
in the parish of West Baton Rouge; and
WHEREAS, this project was under the supervision of museum director Dr. Julie
Rose, who organized the exhibit team lead by curator Angelique Bergeron; and
WHEREAS, the team included LSU intern Jenna Stewart, guest co-curator Kathe
Hambrick-Jackson, registrar Lauren Hawthorn, members of the Cohn High School Alumni
Association, and historian, Dr. Paul Paskoff; and
WHEREAS, invaluable contributions were made to this project by the West Baton
Rouge Parish School Board, the city of Port Allen, the private, nonprofit organization DOC
DHL, and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge; and
WHEREAS, the museum is on the Louisiana African American Trail and the
collections and historic buildings interpret "From Slavery to Civil Rights: in the sugarcane
growing region of the state"; and
WHEREAS, Cohn High School's history carries the interpretation further into the
twentieth century showing the relevance of African-American history in today's society; and
WHEREAS, the landmark exhibition "Cohn High School: How We Love Thee",
February 2 through March 2, 2016, grew from the initial collection of saved materials and
stories to the first comprehensive history of the only West Baton Rouge Parish high school
for African Americans; and
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WHEREAS, on May 23, 2016, the American Association for State and Local History
selected this exhibit as a 2016 Award of Merit winner by the Leadership in History awards
committee; and
WHEREAS, the American Association for State and Local History Leadership in
History Award is the nation's most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement
in state and local history.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
commend and congratulate the West Baton Rouge Museum and its director and exhibit team
for the success of the recognition of their diligent work and effort with the exhibit, "Cohn
High School: How We Love Thee".
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
West Baton Rouge Parish Museum and the West Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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