By Garry Blanson
“L.I.A.L.O.,” The Forgotten Negro Sports And Literary Organization That Merged With The LHSAA, In 1969
Today, as I am sitting here at my desk reading about the “LHSAA’s Cold-Hearted Decision” to officially “End The Season” for the “Carroll High School Football Team,” my mind begins to wonder, “What Part, If Any” did Carroll High School’s “2022 Lawsuit Against The LHSAA” play in the LHSAA rendering such a harsh punishment as this?
Incidentally, since Carroll, Wossman, and Neville High Schools sued the LHSAA, back in 2022, the LHSAA has implemented “A Sue The LHSAA – No Playoff Rule!” Under the “New Ruling,” any Louisiana High School that sues the LHSAA, during the season, “Will Not Be Able To Participate In Any Of The Post Season Games!”
Additionally, the lawsuit, along with a few other findings, was enough to trigger the Louisiana State Legislature to pay for and conduct an official investigation into the LHSAA Organization dealings and non-transparency; the investigation ended in February of 2026. Although the Louisiana State Legislature Investigation Committee did not fine the LHSAA, “It Did Present Several Recommendations To The LHSAA.”
Lastly, my mind keeps wondering how come the LHSAA is being allowed to “Hold A Monopoly Over High School Athletics In The State Of Louisiana, In The First Place?”
Well, now that I have gotten that out of my system, let me inform everyone about the former Louisiana Organization, which was established for “Negro Students,” and was founded by A Negro named, “William H Gray,” who was professor at Southern University.
Sadly, very few of the Black People, currently living in Louisiana and who were born after 1976, “Even Know Or Realize That The Old Negro Organization Ever Existed In Louisiana!”
Even though William H. Gray is listed as the founder of L.I.A.L.O., I would be remiss if I left out the fact that the President of Southern University, J. S. Clark, had inspired Mr. Gray, and without his support, Mr. Gray would probably have had to work much harder to get things started.
Interestingly, in the segregated state of Louisiana, “L.I.A.L.O. Lasted For More Than 30 Years, All The Way Up To The Days Of Integration!”
You see, after the schools in Louisiana were integrated in the 1960s, “L.I.A.L.O. Was Shut Down,” and was merged in with the LHSAA.
Regretfully, not only did Black People in Louisiana lose our own Sports Organization, “But We Also Lost All Of The Great History Too!”
By the way, L.I.A.L.O. began at Peabody High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, mainly because Peabody was the only High School in the state for Negroes that had an “Auditorium-Gymnasium.”
In the beginning, the leaders of L.I.A.L.O. focused its efforts entirely on athletics and athletic competitions. However, by the time WWII had started, L.I.A.L.O. had added competitions in literary events, including speech; woodworking; bookkeeping; and several other events!
In closing, I would like to challenge all of the Black Citizens of Louisiana to go back and research “The L.I.A.L.O.,” because in doing so, we will learn more about “Our Rich Black Heritage In Louisiana!”
