HISTORY

In 1982, the Alumni of the African American School in Rayville, Louisiana which closed in 1970, started an Alumni Association and named it the Rayville Rosenwald / Eula D. Britton Alumni Association. It continues to be an active alumni association.

During this period of turmoil, the only building to survive was the gymnasium, then owned by the city of Rayville. It was being used for a variety of purposes to include housing “farm hay”. In 1994, the Alumni Association negotiated with the city and was able to secure ownership of the gymnasium for a sale price of $100.00. It was named the Alumni Center, but it will always be known as “The Gym” to all alumni and the African American Citizens of Rayville.

The Alumni have worked diligently over the years to restore and upgrade the gym to it’s current state. Today, the building is seen as a source of historical information about the school, Black Business Culture during this era, and the achievements of its over 1250 graduates. It also hosts many community events and is the center of the bi-annual Alumni Reunion.