"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : LELAND UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE - Part One of a Two part series

oday, when most people talk about Historical Black Colleges & Universities in Louisiana, they are quick to mention Grambling & Southern. Well, there was a Black University that came before both of those universities. It was known as "LELAND UNIVERSITY," however, the name was changed to "LELAND COLLEGE" when a new school was built in Baker, Louisiana. Well, Leland University was founded in New Orleans by Holbrook Chamberlain, a Brooklyn, New York Merchant and Philanthropist in partnership with the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Mr. Chamberlain named the college for his father-in-law, John Leland, who was a Baptist minister and abolitionist. The school's main purpose was to prepare Colored People for the ministry, to train Colored teachers for Colored classrooms, and help prepare Colored students for adult life in the South. After the University buildings were severely damaged following a hurricane that struck New Orleans in 1915, University officials thought about relocating the College to Alexandria, Louisiana, but they encountered "strong opposition" from the White Citizens of Alexandria. Therefore, they decided it was best to move the College to Baker, Louisiana. By the way, I'm reminded of an interesting love story involving two Black college students who both graduated from Leland College. The story took place sometime during the 1940s. Can you all picture a single young lady traveling alone, then she meets a nice young fellow, and they discover that they are headed to the same place? Well, that is exactly what happened. As the story goes, Christopher Van Rodgers Sr., a handsome young Black college student from from Monroe, Louisiana was returning to Leland for his Sophomore year of college. Somewhere along the train route, he met a charming young Black female from Shreveport, Louisiana, by the name of Johnnie Glover, who was also attending Leland College. I'm telling you all, not only did they become the best of friends, but their relationship blossomed so much that on August 12, 1950, the couple were united in Holy Matrimony. Now who would of thought that a chance encounter aboard a train, on the way back to Leland College would lead to a marriage that would produce 4 adorable children, and would last for more than 40 years!!! Also, the icing on the cake was when the young couple decided to make Monroe their home. Of course, both of them were popular teachers in the Monroe City School System, before they retired from teaching. Yes, it has certainly been my pleasure telling you all about this love story, because Rev. Christopher Van Rodgers Sr. was my pastor at Zion Travelers Baptist Church in Monroe... and Mrs. Johnnie Rodgers, she was our "First Lady!"