NEW ORLEANS 鈥� , a pioneer of school desegregation in the Deep South, has died.
She was one of the first young Black girls who integrated New Orleans public schools after federal courts forced the system to abide by the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 1954 that declared .
Prevost made history on Nov. 14, 1960, along with Gail Etienne and Leona Tate, known as . At age 6, federal marshals escorted them past hostile white crowds to enroll in in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward. They were ostracized and formed a tight bond.
"The way we were prepared was not to do anything alone,鈥� Tate recalled Tuesday in an NPR interview. 鈥淲hatever we did, we had to do it with the three of us.鈥�
White parents pulled their children out of the school, so for the entire first grade the three African-American girls were alone. They weren鈥檛 allowed to eat in the school cafeteria, or use the playground, so they played underneath an internal stairwell.
The historic school is now preserved as the , an interpretive space to teach New Orleans鈥� civil rights history.
A fourth Black student in New Orleans, , integrated the all-white William Franz Elementary School the same year.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called Prevost鈥檚 passing a profound loss, saying her courage paved the way for greater educational equality in the U.S.
鈥淗er bravery and determination helped dismantle the barriers of segregation, inspiring countless others in the struggle for justice and equality,鈥� . 鈥淗er legacy is a testament to the power of resilience and the impact a single individual can have on the course of history.鈥�
Prevost died Saturday at age 69.
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