By Kenny Boudreaux
Lagniappe Editor
Raymond Ellis grew up in the Thibodaux area in the 1940s and 50s thinking he was just an average person. But, little did he know his name would be etched in the record books at Nicholls because of his skin color.
He did more than simply earn a few pages of ink because of his complexion. Facing adversity for most of his early years, Raymond represents a major milestone in the history of the school – the official ending of racial segregation.
As Raymond walked across the stage in a cap and gown in May of 1966 to receive his bachelor’s degree in social studies from Vernon Galliano, then University president, he became Nicholls’ first black graduate.
“Our family is proud to know that he was the first African -American graduate from Nicholls,” Shanelle Ellis said of her father who died on Oct. 5, 1998, at age 55. “He was in a difficult situation, but the fact that he continued on through all the adversities was amazing.”
Raymond actually completed his necessary class credits for graduation the previous fall semester, but he had to wait until the spring to receive his diploma. At the time, the University only held one commencement ceremony a year.
Vivian Nixon, another black student, also graduated in 1966. But since Raymond finished a full semester ahead of Nixon and his name was called before Nixon’s in alphabetical order, he is recognized as the first black student to graduate.
Raymond, however, did not begin his college life at Nicholls. After graduating in 1961 from the all-black first through 12th grade C.M. Washington School – now South Thibodaux Elementary – he enrolled at Southern University in Baton Rouge.
Raymond lived in the residence halls during his freshman year. Then, in his second year, the Lafourche Parish government provided him with a free bus ride from Thibodaux to Baton Rouge. Raymond moved back to the Thibodaux area and commuted to Southern daily.
“I think the parish supplied the bus because there was talk that Nicholls was going to be integrated,” Raymond told The Nicholls Worth in 1998. “They figured that we weren’t going to be interested in going to Nicholls and just go to Southern.”
Although Raymond was content at Southern, a dozen of his friends who enrolled at Nicholls persuaded him to attend the Thibodaux college when it became integrated in the mid-60s. Raymond was also weary from commuting four to five hours a day. At Nicholls, he would be close to home.
Carrie Ellis, whom Raymond married in 1968, remembers times when Raymond had to leave his home early to walk to Nicholls. Carrie estimated Raymond had to walk about five miles everyday from his Lee Street (now Lee Drive) home.
“Things were not like it is now,” Carrie said, now a receptionist at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. “There was a big difference, and most of the area here was nothing but cane fields. There were many rainy and cold days too.”
While the racial violence was not as severe at Nicholls compared to larger universities during the 1960s, Raymond and his minority companions experienced many hardships on campus.
“Sometimes things were rough,” Raymond said. “I can recall incidents that I had to put up with. And looking back … I don’t know how I did it.”
One day while meeting in the Student Union, a group of white students threw cups of ice and other items at Raymond and his friends. Heartbroken by the experience, they never went near the Student Union again.
Raymond and his companions would find a new meeting place – under an oak tree near Elkins Hall. But even the new special place soon would be vandalized with racial inscriptions ingrained in the tree trunk.
“We went to our famous tree one day,” Raymond said. “There was a sign saying ‘nigger tree’ that somebody had posted there.”
After finally graduating from Nicholls, Raymond spent his time as a substitute teacher at the still-segregated C.M. Washington School, a place he had loved since he was a child. Then, in the fall of 1966, he finally became a full-time teacher.
But his life soon took another direction. He was drafted into the military where he served for the next two years. When he returned home, he was ecstatic to learn that the public school systems had become integrated.
Raymond continued to teach eighth grade social studies classes for the next seven years at West Thibodaux Junior High School. And although teaching was time consuming, Raymond enrolled at Nicholls again and earned a master’s degree in counseling in 1975.
Raymond accepted a guidance counselor’s position at West Thibodaux later that summer. He continued to work there for the next 23 years until he retired in the summer of 1998. Raymond spent his final days doing odd jobs around the house.
The Lafourche Parish School Board honored Raymond at its meeting two days after his death. A portion of the minutes from the meeting reads: ” … his dedicated contributions in the field of education to the people of this parish were greatly appreciated by all who knew him …
“Be it further resolved that this tribute of respect to the memory of Mr. Raymond Ellis be recorded on a special page of our minute book and that a copy … be presented to his family … as a reminder of our attachment to him in life and memory of him in death.”
Shanelle, who earned her bachelor’s degree in education in 1996 and her master’s in 2003 from Nicholls, said Raymond is not only her inspiration as a father, but also as a teacher and counselor.
“After all he went through, he made his 30 plus (years of teaching service), and I will get that too,” the 33-year-old said. “I want to follow in his footsteps. I hope his story will inspire other students to become the best they can be and to never give up and fight through adversity like he has shown me.”Editor’s note: Some information for this story was compiled from an article printed in the Sept. 24, 1998, issue of The Nicholls Worth, just two weeks before Raymond Ellis’ death.