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{{short description|Defunct Louisiana private school athletic league}}
{{short description|Louisiana private school athletic league}}
[[Image:LISA LOGO.JPG|225px|right|thumb|LISA logo]]
[[Image:LISA LOGO.JPG|225px|right|thumb|LISA logo]]


The '''Louisiana Independent School Association''' (1970-1992), more commonly known as '''LISA''', was an athletic association created to offer interscholastic sports at all-white [[segregation academies]] in the state of [[Louisiana]].<ref name="Oversight1979">{{cite book|author=United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means. Subcommittee on Oversight|title=Tax-exempt status of private schools: hearings before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session ....|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2vzUAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=6 September 2012|year=1979|publisher=U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|page=184}}</ref> The organization is no longer in existence.
The '''Louisiana Independent School Association''' (1970–1992), more commonly known as '''LISA''', was an athletic association created to offer interscholastic sports at all-white [[segregation academies]] in the state of [[Louisiana]].<ref name="Oversight1979">{{cite book|author=United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means. Subcommittee on Oversight|title=Tax-exempt status of private schools: hearings before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session ....|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2vzUAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=6 September 2012|year=1979|publisher=U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|page=184}}</ref> The organization is no longer in existence.

In its ruling on ''Brumfield v. Dodd'' (1975), the [[U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana]] described LISA as "an organization of private schools which publicly maintains a racist policy and has advised its members openly how to discourage black enrollment".<ref name="Oversight1979" />


== History ==
== History ==
The organization was founded<ref name="filing">{{Cite web | url=https://coraweb.sos.la.gov/commercialsearch/CommercialSearchDetails.aspx?CharterID=21742_F7BBDE9480 | title=Search for Louisiana Business Filings }}</ref> amid a wave of new private schools that were being opened in response to most Louisiana public schools being desegregated in the 1969-70 or 1970-71 school year. Its public-school equivalent was the [[Louisiana High School Athletic Association]]. Its charter meeting was held in April 1970; it launched that fall with 20 member schools, a number that increased to 54 by the following school year.<ref name="lfm">[http://www.14-0productions.com/l.i.s.a..html Louisiana Football Magazine, 1988, p. 131]</ref>
The organization was founded amid a wave of new private schools that were being opened in response to most Louisiana public schools being desegregated in the 1969-70 or 1970-71 school year.<ref name="filing">{{Cite web | url=https://coraweb.sos.la.gov/commercialsearch/CommercialSearchDetails.aspx?CharterID=21742_F7BBDE9480 | title=Search for Louisiana Business Filings }}</ref> Its public-school equivalent was the [[Louisiana High School Athletic Association]]. In 1970, LISA's secretary said in response to the loss of tax exemptions due to the refusal to include Black students, "We are not interested in an IRS exemption under those conditions".<ref name="donald roberts">https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-shreveport-journal-tax-ruling-to-hav/132431724/</ref>

Its charter meeting was held in April 1970; it launched that fall with 20 member schools, a number that increased to 54 by the following school year.<ref name="lfm">[http://www.14-0productions.com/l.i.s.a..html Louisiana Football Magazine, 1988, p. 131]</ref> LISA's logo, reflecting its segregated origins and location in what was formerly the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]], featured an adaptation of the [[Confederate battle flag]], which has been described as a [[White supremacy|White supremacist]] [[List of symbols designated by the Anti-Defamation League as hate symbols|hate symbol]].<ref name="ADL">{{cite web |title=Hate on Display / Confederate Flag |url=https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbol/confederate-flag |publisher=Anti-Defamation League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428005303/https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbol/confederate-flag|archive-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref> No Black athlete played in a LISA all-star game until 1991.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Byrd |first1=Jerry |title=Wiggins completing cycle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104958489/the-times/ |access-date=4 July 2022 |work=The Shreveport Times |date=8 January 1992 |pages=62}}</ref>


By the 1980s, as segregation academies closed, membership declined. LISA was dissolved after the 1991-1992 school year. Some of its member schools moved into the LHSAA, while others crossed into the equivalent association in [[Mississippi]], the [[Mississippi Private School Association]] (now the [[Midsouth Association of Independent Schools]] The association ceased to exist as a corporate entity on November 17, 1997.<ref name="filing" />
By the 1980s, as segregation academies closed or moved to the LHSAA, membership declined. In October 1991, LISA's members voted unanimously to merge into the equivalent association in [[Mississippi]], the [[Mississippi Private School Association]] (now the [[Midsouth Association of Independent Schools]].<ref>{{cite news |title=L.I.S.A., including Riverfield, joins Mississippi Association |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104957492/the-richland-beacon-news/ |access-date=4 July 2022 |work=The Richland Beacon-News |date=10 October 1991 |pages=9}}</ref> LISA held its last competition in 1992 and ceased to exist as a corporate entity on November 17, 1997.<ref name="filing" />


== Organization ==
== Organization ==
Schools competed in two divisions, A and AA, according to enrollment, with districts arranged by geography and traditional rivalries. Postseason all-star games were held in football and basketball.
Schools competed in two divisions, A and AA, according to enrollment, with districts arranged by geography and traditional rivalries. Postseason all-star games were held in football and basketball.


LISA’s competitive sports programs included [[baseball]], [[softball]], [[basketball]], [[Cross country running|cross country]], [[track and field]], and [[High school football|football]].
LISA’s competitive sports programs included [[baseball]], [[softball]], [[basketball]], [[Cross country running|cross country]], [[track and field]], and [[High school football|football]].


== Former Member Schools ==
== Former member schools ==
{|
{|
|----- valign="top"
|----- valign="top"
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*[[Briarfield Academy]] (Lake Providence)
*[[Briarfield Academy]] (Lake Providence)
*Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport)
*Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport)
*Cedar Creek School (Ruston)
*[[Cedar Creek School]] (Ruston)
*[[Central Private School (Baton Rouge)]]
*[[Central Private School (Baton Rouge)]]
*Central School (Grand Cane)
*Central School (Grand Cane)
Line 53: Line 57:
*Ridgedale Academy (West Monroe)
*Ridgedale Academy (West Monroe)
*[[Riverdale Academy (Louisiana)|Riverdale Academy]] (East Point)
*[[Riverdale Academy (Louisiana)|Riverdale Academy]] (East Point)
*Riverfield Academy](Rayville)
*Riverfield Academy (Rayville)
*Riverside Academy (Reserve)
*[[Riverside Academy (Louisiana)|Riverside Academy]] (Reserve)
*[[River Oaks High School]] (Monroe)
*[[River Oaks High School]] (Monroe)
*[[Sam Barthe School for Boys]] (New Orleans)
*[[Sam Barthe School for Boys]] (New Orleans)

Latest revision as of 20:09, 21 May 2024

LISA logo

The Louisiana Independent School Association (1970–1992), more commonly known as LISA, was an athletic association created to offer interscholastic sports at all-white segregation academies in the state of Louisiana.[1] The organization is no longer in existence.

In its ruling on Brumfield v. Dodd (1975), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana described LISA as "an organization of private schools which publicly maintains a racist policy and has advised its members openly how to discourage black enrollment".[1]

History

[edit]

The organization was founded amid a wave of new private schools that were being opened in response to most Louisiana public schools being desegregated in the 1969-70 or 1970-71 school year.[2] Its public-school equivalent was the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. In 1970, LISA's secretary said in response to the loss of tax exemptions due to the refusal to include Black students, "We are not interested in an IRS exemption under those conditions".[3]

Its charter meeting was held in April 1970; it launched that fall with 20 member schools, a number that increased to 54 by the following school year.[4] LISA's logo, reflecting its segregated origins and location in what was formerly the Confederacy, featured an adaptation of the Confederate battle flag, which has been described as a White supremacist hate symbol.[5] No Black athlete played in a LISA all-star game until 1991.[6]

By the 1980s, as segregation academies closed or moved to the LHSAA, membership declined. In October 1991, LISA's members voted unanimously to merge into the equivalent association in Mississippi, the Mississippi Private School Association (now the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools.[7] LISA held its last competition in 1992 and ceased to exist as a corporate entity on November 17, 1997.[2]

Organization

[edit]

Schools competed in two divisions, A and AA, according to enrollment, with districts arranged by geography and traditional rivalries. Postseason all-star games were held in football and basketball.

LISA’s competitive sports programs included baseball, softball, basketball, cross country, track and field, and football.

Former member schools

[edit]
  • East Union Academy (Marion)
  • False River Academy (New Roads)
  • First Baptist Academy (Shreveport)
  • Forest Hill Academy (Forest Hill)
  • Franklin Academy (Winnsboro)
  • Friendship Academy (Shreveport)
  • Glenbrook School (Minden)
  • Grawood Christian School (Keithville)
  • Huntington School (Ferriday)
  • Montrose Christian (Montrose, Arkansas)
  • Monroe Christian School (Monroe)
  • Mount Olive Christian School (Athens)
  • Natchitoches Academy (Natchitoches)
  • Silliman Institute (Clinton)
  • Shreve Christian (Shreveport)
  • South Rapides Academy (Lecompte)
  • Southland Academy (Dubach)
  • Southwood Academy (Hammond)
  • Starlet Academy
  • Tallulah Academy (Tallulah)
  • Tensas Academy (St. Joseph)
  • Trinity Heights Christian Academy (Shreveport)
  • Valley Forge Academy (Amite)
  • Westhill Academy (Marthaville)
  • Winn Academy (Winnfield)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means. Subcommittee on Oversight (1979). Tax-exempt status of private schools: hearings before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, Ninety-sixth Congress, first session ... U.S. Govt. Print. Off. p. 184. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Search for Louisiana Business Filings".
  3. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-shreveport-journal-tax-ruling-to-hav/132431724/
  4. ^ Louisiana Football Magazine, 1988, p. 131
  5. ^ "Hate on Display / Confederate Flag". Anti-Defamation League. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023.
  6. ^ Byrd, Jerry (8 January 1992). "Wiggins completing cycle". The Shreveport Times. p. 62. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  7. ^ "L.I.S.A., including Riverfield, joins Mississippi Association". The Richland Beacon-News. 10 October 1991. p. 9. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
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