A.P. Tureaud papers, 1798-1977 | Amistad Research Center

The papers of Alexander Pierre Tureaud occupy 31 linear feet of shelf space. Among the largest groups of papers are records of civil rights cases, correspondence, and non-financial reports. Among the records of civil rights cases are those concerning school desegregation, teacher salary equalization, transportation, and public accommodations. There are also records of cases concerning colleges and trade schools. Lastly, are records of the State of Louisiana v. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a suit aimed at destroying the state branch of the NAACP through membership disclosure laws and the records of Bryan Poindexter v. Louisiana Financial Assistance Corporation, which involved state aid to private, racially-segregated academies.

Among other papers are financial reports and statements, organizational constitutions and by-laws, bulletins and new releases, contracts, pamphlets, announcements and invitations, clippings, photographs, biographical material, and collected items. The papers are arranged chronologically within each category.

Having practiced law in Louisiana for almost half a century, Tureaud led a varied life as reflected in the scope and magnitude of the collection. Following Tureaud's own method of organization, the collection is divided into different series, each one revealing various aspects of the man who was a dominant leader in the civil rights movement in Louisiana.

The principal correspondents are Thurgood Marshall (238 items, 1936-1961), Louis Israel (231 items, 1932-1940), Daniel E. Byrd (233 items, 1943-1970), Joseph E. Galpion (188 items, 1932-1940, 1945-1960), John H. Clouser (127 items, 1937-1951). Among other important correspondents are Archie W. Arnaud, Beverley V. Baranco, Theodore E. Carrier, Gilbert Faustina, Archie T. Lecesne, J. Roland Prejean, George L. Rieras, Norman C. Amaker, Hale Boggs, Norman J. Chacklin, Gloster B. Current, John Doar, A. Laws, Earl K. Long, Constance Baker Motley, James M. Nabrit III, Leslie S. Perry, Jesse N. Stone Jr., William Bennet Turner, Roy Wilkings, Walter White, Charles H. Houston, Leander H. Perez, deLesseps S. Morrison, and Ernest Nathan Morial. An index to the correspondence is included in the guide to the microfilm edition of this collection, which is linked to this finding aid under Administrative Information.