The Legacies They Built: Honoring Pinkie Gordon Lane, Lutrill & Pearl Payne, and Julian T. White.”: Lutrill & Pearl Payne

Lutrill Amos Payne Sr. (1910-1999) was born in Lillie, Louisiana, and earned a B.S. degree in agriculture from Southern University in 1936 and later served in World War II. Payne was an instructor in agriculture at Allen High School in Allen, Louisiana, when he filed suit to integrate the Louisiana State University Graduate School to study agriculture with the help of attorney A. P. Tureaud, Sr. He won a judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in 1951. Payne later earned a M.Ed. degree from Southern University in 1961, taught school in several Louisiana parishes, and became the first African American in Natchitoches Parish to run for public office.* 

Pearl Henry Payne (1918-2018) was born in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She graduated from Grambling University in 1948, and in 1956 earned her master’s degree in education from LSU  – the first black woman to do so. She taught at the high school level for 37 years. In 2012, she donated the scrapbook documenting her husband’s efforts to attend LSU to LSU Libraries Special Collections. 

The Paynes were active in their church and community, impacting the lives of countless young people who benefited from their efforts. Both were involved in the LSU Black Alumni Association, helping to recruit black students to the university. 

*First section of text comes from the description of the Lutrill Amos Payne Sr. Scrapbook on the LSU Library catalog. 

Telegram announcing Payne's successful registration at LSU, 1951. 
From Lutrill Amos Payne Sr. Scrapbook.

Pearl Payne Accepts University Medal, 2015

LSUAgCenter Ceremony honors Lutrill Payne Sr.