Tessie Prevost Williams, a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement and one of the “New Orleans Four,” passed away on July 6 at the age of 69 due to medical complications.
Funeral services will be held Saturday to honor her legacy and contributions to desegregating New Orleans public schools in 1960.
On November 14, 1960, a young Tessie Prevost Williams, alongside fellow 6-year-olds Leona Tate and Gail Etienne, bravely walked into McDonogh No. 19 Elementary School amid hostile crowds.
Their courageous act came six years after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregated schools unconstitutional. On the same day, Ruby Bridges made history by integrating William Frantz Elementary School.
Prevost Williams’ flag-draped casket will lie in state at Gallier Hall in New Orleans on Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Funeral services are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday at Branch Bell Baptist Church in the Lower 9th Ward.
The funeral procession will be accompanied by a traditional jazz brass band.
A final salute will take place at the Tate, Etienne, and Prevost Civil Rights Interpretive Center, formerly the school the girls desegregated.
The center offers a comprehensive walk-through history of their significant contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
“This center stands as a testament to their enduring commitment to civil rights and serves as an invaluable educational resource,” said New Orleans Public Schools Superintendent Avis Williams.
Leona Tate shared her memories of Prevost Williams with WWL-TV, expressing her deep sense of loss.
“I’m truly going to miss her,” she said.
In recent years, Prevost Williams and Etienne launched the New Orleans Four Legacy Collection, ensuring their history and impact as the New Orleans Four would never be forgotten.
“When we would get together and just talk about the things that happened, those were the good times, even though we would talk about things that weren’t good,” Etienne said.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell praised Prevost Williams as “a trailblazer in the fight for civil rights.” Cantrell added:
“Facing intense hostility and unimaginable challenges, her courage paved the way for greater educational equality throughout the United States. Her bravery and determination helped dismantle the barriers of segregation, inspiring countless others in the struggle for justice and equality.”
U.S. Rep. Troy Carter also reflected on her legacy, stating:
“She’ll be sorely missed. But the fight that she took on and the fight that she continued to take on until her death is one of equality, fairness, justice.”
He noted that her life serves as a reminder to never take for granted our freedoms.
“The freedoms we enjoy are not free. They require our involvement, our civic duty. They require us to vote and to hold people accountable,” Carter said.
