In celebration of LSUP’s 80th anniversary the staff selected 80 of our most memorable titles. Adding to our “Around the Press in 80 Books” blog series, Director MaryKatherine Callaway writes about A More Noble Cause.
As a scholarly publisher, it is a privilege and an honor to publish books that enlighten us, explaining certain events in new way. We all appreciate a book that teaches something you will never forget.
For me, at the top of that list sits A More Noble Cause. The life story of A. P. Tureaud, Sr., the book is both fascinating and unforgettable as it takes us into Louisiana and across the U.S. during the troubled times of the Jim Crow era. Mr. Tureaud served his state and his country as an attorney and an activist for social change. He calmly negotiated some of the most turbulent waters imaginable, and he did it all with patience, fortitude, courage, and dignity, facing innumerable challenges as he fought against discrimination and for the rights of all. We can learn so much from his actions, and this book serves as a wonderful guide.
Beyond that, the two co-authors shared themselves through this book as well. Rachel Emanuel has devoted her career to ensuring that the story of the civil rights movement, especially in Louisiana, is told and understood. A.P. Tureaud, Jr., with the help of his father, broke the color restrictions in place at LSU and in 1953 became the first African American undergraduate to attend school here. That time included some incidents that comprise a regrettable part of LSU’s history. We have moved forward, but we shouldn’t forget.
In an exciting coda to the book’s publication, in 2011 LSU awarded an honorary doctorate to A.P. Tureaud, Jr. Books matter.
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