About
Booker T. Washington Alumni Association
Booker T. Washington Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization established to support, celebrate, and uplift the enduring legacy of Booker T. Washington High School. Modeled after Tuskegee University, BTW opened its doors on September 4, 1942, as the second public high school in Louisiana built specifically to provide a secondary education for African American students.
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Over the decades, the school served as an academic and cultural hub for the Black community in New Orleans, offering a comprehensive curriculum that included both traditional academics and vocational training. Its auditorium became a vital community space for concerts, performances, and gatherings that helped define the neighborhood’s spirit.
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Following its closure due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, BTW reopened in 2016 under the KIPP charter network, rising once again as a beacon of learning, culture, and promise. The first class to graduate after the reopening walked across the stage in 2020; a testament to the resilience and rebirth of this institution.
Alumni Board of Directors
Wayne E. Clark, President
Nolan McSwain, Immediate Past President
Steven Byrd, Vice President
Shiela Alfred Jacobs, Treasurer
Lorina Williams, Financial Secretary
Denise Smallwood, Secretary
Jackie Freeman, Business Manager
Wilfred Nash, Chaplain
Isaiah Louis, Sergeant at Arms
Our Queens
What We Do
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Connect Alumni: We provide opportunities for former students to reunite, network, and build lasting relationships through events, reunions, and community initiatives.
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Support Students: We offer scholarships, mentorship programs, and career readiness workshops to help current students thrive.
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Preserve History: Through storytelling, archives, and commemorative projects, we safeguard the rich history of BTW and its impact on generations.
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Empower Community: We engage in service projects and partnerships that uplift our neighborhood and promote educational equity.​
Our Motto
Noblesse oblige — To whom much is given, much is required.
This guiding principle remains at the heart of everything we do. As proud alumni and friends of Booker T. Washington High School, we are committed to giving back, lifting up, and honoring the legacy that shaped us.