NATCHITOCHES, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism will unveil the next marker on the Louisiana Civil Rights Trail on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 10 a.m. in Natchitoches, Louisiana, at the Texas and Pacific Railway Depot.
The Texas and Pacific Railway Depot is a symbol of the Great Migration as African Americans migrated from rural communities in the South to larger cities in the North and West. During Jim Crow and the early Civil Rights Movement, the migration allowed for economic betterment opportunities. The depot, constructed in 1927 in the Italianate and Spanish Revival architectural styles, provides an example of segregated facilities for black and white passengers. The depot remained operational for passenger service until 1969.
The Louisiana Civil Rights Trail continues to recognize and bring to life Louisiana’s role in the modern civil rights movement. The markers tell the significant role Louisiana played in shaping American history during the 1950s and 60s and draws attention to the courage and commitment of the trailblazers of the movement.