Educator, school founder, principal, newspaper publisher, newspaper editor
Spouse
Sarah C. B. Mayo
John Baptist LaFargue (June 1864 – after 1937) was an American educator,[1] school founder, principal, newspaper publisher, and editor in Louisiana.[2]
Biography
John Baptist LaFargue was born June 1864 in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.[2] He studied at a school established with support from the Peabody Educational Fund.[3]
LaFargue worked for 14 years to establish the first "colored" newspaper in the area at the Marksville Bulletin office in Marksville, Louisiana.[2] He was a former editor of the National Alliance; and the editor and publisher of the Advance Messenger newspaper in Alexandria, Louisiana.[2] He edited The Banner newspaper in Alexandria, Louisiana.[4]
LaFargue founded in 1895 the Peabody Industrial School (now Peabody Magnet High School) in Alexandria;[5][6] and was the school principal for many years.[7][8] He organized the Colored State Teachers Association in Louisiana in 1901, and was elected Conductor of the Parish Teachers’ Institute for over 20 years.[9][8] He was state secretary of the CFA.[10]
There is a J. B. Lafargue Special Education Center in Rapides Parish. He will be part of a future PBS documentary by Ken Burns, "Emancipation to Exodus".[8][11]