BLACK HISTORY MOMENT: REMEMBERING DON RAYMOND, THE FIRST BLACK LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE (2805 hits)
Don Alan Raymond (1952-1969) was an African American athlete who was integrated into Hahnville High School in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana during a time of racial tension.
Raymond, nick-named "Easy" because of his go-with-the-flow attitude, affected the whole community with his integrity and his strive for improvement.
When Raymond decided to leave George Washington Carver High School and go to the all-white Hahnville High School, along with a small group of other African-American students, he proved to the athletic coaches that he was talented and began playing alongside the white athletes.
Although there were some racial difficulties at Hahnville, Raymond overcame these and became the first black high school athlete, participating in four sports - football, track, basetball, and basketball - simultaneously.
Tragically, he died in an automobile accident at the age of 16. The book “Crossing Over: A Tribute To Don Raymond" documents the epic account of how his tenacity to achieve athletic and academic perfection has paved the way for some of the greatest athletes to rise out of Louisiana.
The book is narrated in third person, but there are pieces of it that are told by friends and relatives of Raymond. The novel follows the span of Raymond’s life, up until his last moments.
