Alfred Lawless High School was a public high school and junior high school in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.

History

As a part of the New Orleans Public Schools, Lawless opened its doors to African American students on January 27, 1964, as historically the first high school in the Lower Ninth Ward.Maxwell, Lesli A.
Up From the Ruins
" '' Education Week''. Published online on September 27, 2007. Published in print on October 3, 2007 as "Up From the Ruins." Retrieved on April 1, 2013. Prior to

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

on August 29, 2005, the school had about 900 students. The campus was severely damaged by Katrina. The 43-year-old facility was among those that received the most damage. The floodwaters moved some buildings off of their foundations. As of 2007, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials and State of Louisiana education leaders were discussing the level of damage over the school, causing no action to be taken on the school. FEMA stated a belief that of the six buildings, at least one could have been saved. State education leaders argued that all of the school was totally destroyed. Many in the community, including former students, met at community meetings to inquire about the rebuilding of a high school in the Lower Ninth Ward. On a City of New Orleans website concerning the FEMA Recovery Fundhttp://recoveryroads.nola.gov/NEWSROOM/NewsDetail/TabId/100/ArtMID/466/ArticleID/30/CITY-BREAKS-GROUND-ON-A-SERIES-OF-MAJOR-PROJECTS.aspx in 2013, announcing the groundbreaking for the new Sanchez Center in the Lower Ninth Ward, Mayor Landrieu also addressed how he worked with the Louisiana Recovery School District to ensure the rebuilding of the $37.5 million Alfred Lawless High School which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Despite discussions about rebuilding the school, it never reopened after Hurricane Katrina.

Notable students and alumni of the junior and senior high school

* Fred Luter - Senior Pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church; first African American President of the Southern Baptist Convention * Robert Pack -

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

point guardSmith, Sarah E.
Sonic Report / Seattle 118, Washington 100 -- Family Makes Pack Feel At Home In Puget Sound
" '' The Seattle Times''. Sunday December 24, 1995. Retrieved on April 1, 2013. "Pack was a prep teammate of former Washington Husky Eldridge Recasner, now of the Houston Rockets. He was a sophomore starter at Lawless High School in New Orleans when Recasner was a senior." * Eldridge Recasner -

guard *

Kermit Ruffins Kermit Ruffins (born December 19, 1964) is an American jazz trumpeter, singer, composer, and actor from New Orleans. He has been influenced by Louis Armstrong and Louis Jordan and says that the highest note he can hit on trumpet is a high C. He ...

- award-winning trumpet player; band leader of the BBQ Swingers; co-founder of the Rebirth Brass Band *

Korey Williams Korey Williams (born July 11, 1987) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He attended Alfred Lawless High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams first enrolled at Paul Quinn College before transferring t ...

- CFL wide receiver

References

Defunct public high schools in New Orleans Defunct middle schools in New Orleans Lower 9th Ward, New Orleans Historically segregated African-American schools in Louisiana Educational institutions established in 1964 1964 establishments in Louisiana 2005 disestablishments in Louisiana {{Louisiana-school-stub