Jesse N. Stone
Encyclopedia
Jesse Nealand Stone, Jr. (June 17, 1924–May 14, 2001), was an African American
attorney and educator from Shreveport
, Louisiana
, who broke past color barriers in state government
.
A native of Gibsland
in Bienville Parish
, Stone in 1950 was in the first ever graduating class of the historically black Southern University Law Center
, an institution established in Baton Rouge
in 1947. For a time, he was the only black attorney in Shreveport, much as Louis Berry had filled that same role in Alexandria
.
During the civil rights movement
, Stone was affiliated with the NAACP and worked as well through the Congress of Racial Equality
, founded in Chicago in 1942 by James Farmer, Jr., and the newer Southern Christian Leadership Conference
, established in 1960 in Atlanta
, Georgia
by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
He was active in the desegregation of Caddo Parish
public schools during the 1960s.
Stone rose to state prominence during the administration of Governor John J. McKeithen, having filled the positions of associate director of the Louisiana Commission on Human Relations, Rights and Responsibilities and as the assistant state superintendent of education under Bill Dodd.
In 1971, Stone became dean of his alma mater
, the Southern University Law Center. From 1972-1974, he was an appointed associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
. On July 1, 1974, he returned to the Southern University System
to serve as its fourth president, a position that he retained until 1985.After leaving the presidency, Stone became a law professor at the center but retired in 1986. Thereafter, he was a member of the Southern Board of Supervisors from 1991-1995.
Stone died in Shreveport of a long illness shortly before his 77th birthday. Survivors included his wife, the former Willa Dean Anderson (born ca. 1928), and a daughter, Shonda Deann Stone (born March 10, 1963), a Shreveport attorney.
In 1990, Stone was the first inductee of the Southern University Law Center "Hall of Fame". A professorship was endowed in Stone's honor in 1998. The Jesse N. Stone Lecture Hall on the campus of Southern University at Shreveport
is named in his honor. A video conferencing room inside Stone Hall is named for former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., also of Shreveport
Stone's tenure over the Southern University system coincided with that of F. Jay Taylor
of Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
, also a native of Gibsland.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
attorney and educator from Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who broke past color barriers in state government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
.
A native of Gibsland
Gibsland, Louisiana
Gibsland is a town in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, United States. Conveniently near Interstate 20 and less than an hour from both Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, Gibsland offers small town living with access to urban amenities...
in Bienville Parish
Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Bienville Parish is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Arcadia and as of the 2000 census, the population is 15,752....
, Stone in 1950 was in the first ever graduating class of the historically black Southern University Law Center
Southern University Law Center
Southern University Law Center, a campus of the Southern University System, opened for instruction in September 1947. Its concept was born out of a response of a lawsuit by an African American resident, Charles J. Hatfield, III, seeking to attend law school at a state institution...
, an institution established in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
in 1947. For a time, he was the only black attorney in Shreveport, much as Louis Berry had filled that same role in Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
.
During the civil rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
, Stone was affiliated with the NAACP and worked as well through the Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
, founded in Chicago in 1942 by James Farmer, Jr., and the newer Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is an African-American civil rights organization. SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
, established in 1960 in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
He was active in the desegregation of Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Caddo Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Shreveport; as of 2000, the population was 252,161...
public schools during the 1960s.
Stone rose to state prominence during the administration of Governor John J. McKeithen, having filled the positions of associate director of the Louisiana Commission on Human Relations, Rights and Responsibilities and as the assistant state superintendent of education under Bill Dodd.
In 1971, Stone became dean of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the Southern University Law Center. From 1972-1974, he was an appointed associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court
Louisiana Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Louisiana is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans....
. On July 1, 1974, he returned to the Southern University System
Southern University System
The Southern University System is a system of universities in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its headquarters are at the Joseph Samuel Clark Administration Building on the property of the Southern University campus in Baton Rouge...
to serve as its fourth president, a position that he retained until 1985.After leaving the presidency, Stone became a law professor at the center but retired in 1986. Thereafter, he was a member of the Southern Board of Supervisors from 1991-1995.
Stone died in Shreveport of a long illness shortly before his 77th birthday. Survivors included his wife, the former Willa Dean Anderson (born ca. 1928), and a daughter, Shonda Deann Stone (born March 10, 1963), a Shreveport attorney.
In 1990, Stone was the first inductee of the Southern University Law Center "Hall of Fame". A professorship was endowed in Stone's honor in 1998. The Jesse N. Stone Lecture Hall on the campus of Southern University at Shreveport
Southern University at Shreveport
Southern University at Shreveport, Louisiana or Southern University at Shreveport is a two-year campus of the historically black Southern University System. SUS, pushed to fruition by the administration of Governor John J. McKeithen, opened for instruction on September 19, 1967...
is named in his honor. A video conferencing room inside Stone Hall is named for former U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., also of Shreveport
Stone's tenure over the Southern University system coincided with that of F. Jay Taylor
F. Jay Taylor
Foster Jay Taylor, known as F. Jay Taylor , was a historian who served from 1962 to 1987 as the president of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston in Lincoln Parish in north Louisiana...
of Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, also a native of Gibsland.