[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 121 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E777-E778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE INCREDIBLE LIFE OF TESSIE NELDA PREVOST-WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TROY A. CARTER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2024

  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize New 
Orleans' beloved native daughter, a true friend, mentor and confidant 
to many, and most notably, a Civil Rights Pioneer of the New Orleans 
Public School Desegregation--The New Orleans Four, Tessie Nelda 
Prevost-Williams. She was born Tessie Nelda Prevost at Charity Hospital 
on September 26, 1954. She passed away surrounded by her immediate 
family and loved ones on Saturday July 6, 2024, at the age of 69. She 
is survived by her mother Dorothy Mackey Prevost (93), her sister Tory 
Prevost (D'Wayne Hulbert), and her lifelong friends, Civil Rights 
Pioneers Gail Etienne and Leona Tate. She was preceded in death by her 
father Charles Henry Prevost, Jr., and her husband Dwight Williams.
  She was a life member of Branch Bell Baptist Church, located in the 
Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, christened, baptized and 
later joined in holy matrimony on October 20, 1984, to the late Dwight 
Williams at that location. She was an active member in the church from 
a very young age, from serving as president of the Youth Usher Board to 
serving as President of the Senior Usher Board. Always on program at 
church, speaking and performing, she was a spirited child who was loved 
and known by many.
  Tessie Prevost is most noted as one of four 6-year-old girls who 
became the first African Americans to desegregate formerly white only 
public elementary schools in New Orleans and the Deep South. On 
November 14, 1960, with world-wide attention set on the city of New 
Orleans, Ruby Bridges, Gail Etienne, Tessie Prevost, and Leona Tate 
(The New Orleans Four) escorted by U.S. Federal Marshals wearing yellow 
armbands desegregated two schools. Three of the girls (Gail Etienne, 
Tessie Prevost, and Leona Tate) enrolled at McDonogh 19 elementary 
school located at 5909 St. Claude Ave. The fourth girl (Ruby Bridges) 
enrolled at William Frantz elementary school located at 3811 N. Galvez 
St. As America's Little Soldier Girls, they played an integral and 
pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement sparking the inspiration for 
the Children's Crusade of 1963.
  After McDonogh 19 became predominantly black, Tessie, Gail and Leona 
along with 8 other students desegregated another formerly white only 
public elementary school in the Lower Ninth Ward Thomas Jefferson 
Semmes, where they endured violent, horrifying and dehumanizing 
treatment from white teachers, students and cafeteria workers who spit 
in their food and at times refused to serve them.
  After successfully desegregating TJ Semmes and completing 6th grade, 
Tessie's parents enrolled her at Rivers Frederick Junior High School, 
where she found music. She learned to play the flute and joined the 
marching band. Tessie remained in predominantly Black schools 
continuing her education at Joseph S. Clark Senior High School. There, 
she also played in the Joseph S. Clark Marching Band. Following high 
school, she attended the University of New Orleans and University of 
Southeastern Louisiana focusing her studies on education and history. 
She stayed active in community civic engagement to make things better 
for her people and served as a member of Women for Progressive Action, 
where she would encourage her community to register to vote.
  As a professional, Tessie was employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 
several years, but she answered her call to work in education and 
community. Her proud moments were supporting young kids and families 
who didn't have dental Insurance when she first started working at 
Louisiana State University Health Science Center in the Department of 
Pediatric Dentistry. She later became an assistant to Professors in the 
Biochemistry Department where she prepared syllabi for the Ph.D. 
program at LSU School of Dentistry. After 27 years of service, she 
retired in 2017.
  In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of school desegregation, then 
N. O. Councilperson Cyndi Nguyen brought forth the resolution to honor 
Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne, Leona Tate, and Ruby Bridges recognizing 
November 14th and New Orleans Four Day. The City Council of New Orleans 
voted Yes unanimously. On November 14, 2020, the City Council of New 
Orleans and the office of Mayor LaToya Cantrell hosted a special 
Proclamation Day Ceremony at Gather Hall to commemorate the 60th 
Anniversary proclaiming November 14th forever New Orleans Four Day On 
that day, all four Civil Rights Pioneers were honored equivalently and 
each of them were given a Proclamation Finally, after 60 years, they 
each received the Key to The City from the office of Mayor LaToya 
Cantrell.
  Following the Gallier Hall celebration, the members of The New 
Orleans Four started receiving national recognition and accolades due 
to the work of various media industry professionals, elected officials 
and Black women in corporate executive leadership. The multi-media 
project called The New Orleans Legacy Project, collaborated inducting 
The New Orleans Four into ``Voices of The Civil Rights Movement''. 
Their Interview segments garnered over one million views across the 
entire Comcast/NBCUniversal and NBC platforms.
  As a result, Tessie Prevost, Leona Tate, and Gail Etienne appeared in 
their first national network television interview on the Today Show 
with Rhema Ellis reporting from New Orleans. This news feature exposed 
the untold story about Tessie Prevost, Leona Tate and Gail Etienne and 
catapulted the three members of The New Orleans Four to equivalent 
recognition and honor to Ruby Bridges for their sacrifice and courage. 
For decades as hidden figures, they endured dehumanizing degradation 
and felt the world and America forgot about them.
  Following the Today Show news feature, the Civil Rights Pioneers 
received their first national award during the 2022 Essence Festival of 
Culture Dove/Unilever Crown Awards held July 2, 2022, honored the 
members of The New Orleans Four with the Living Legend Award. On August 
6, 2022, the Urban League of Louisiana honored the three hidden figures 
as notable Changemakers Tessie, Leona, and Gail's story moved many to 
recognize the importance of fact checking.
  The following year, they garnered more local and national news 
features like the 2023 CBS News Black History Month feature by reporter 
Jamie Wax which highlighted the untold story of The New Orleans Four 
helping to raise more awareness about the illegitimate revision of the 
accurate historical record. Now, America and the world have been 
reinspired by the powerful courage of The New Orleans Four who rocked 
the Nation and changed the world.
  In October 2023, at 69 years of age, Tessie became Chief Operating 
Officer of her own company, New Orleans Four, LLC., partnering with her 
childhood friend and fellow classmate, Gail Etienne who serves as Chief 
Executive Officer. Ms. Prevost and Ms. Etienne committed themselves to 
preserving and protecting the history and legacy of The New Orleans 
Four. Before her passing, Tessie and Gail partnered with the industry 
professionals who paid it forward to ensure that the story of The New 
Orleans Four would never be lost in history again They planned to 
release a host of projects with the launch of The New Orleans Four 
Legacy Collection and their Serving Black Girl Magic Since 1960 brand 
and initiative.
  Tessie Prevost, a child soldier, a civil rights pioneer, an activist 
for justice and a businesswoman and entrepreneur, profoundly stressed a 
quality and equitable education as the key to success and achievements 
``Education unleashes the past and paves the path of the future''.
  In November 2023, as part of the 50th Anniversary of Bayou Classic, 
the Southern University Law Center at the Louis A. Berry Institute for 
Civil Rights & Justice presented and honored the members of The New 
Orleans Four during the Southern University convening of the Board of 
Directors. Civil Rights Pioneers Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne and Leona 
Tate were honorary Marshals in the Bayou Classic Parade. The ladies 
received joyous shouts of thank you from parade goers State 
Representative Alonzo Knox petitioned Governor John Bel Edwards to sign 
an official statement. In November, for their 63rd anniversary, the 
Governor signed the official statement in support of the City Council 
of New Orleans proclaiming November 14th--New Orleans Four Day.
  On May 14, 2024, Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne, and Leona Tate were 
invited to be

[[Page E778]]

honored by the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights 
Division and the United States Department of Education Office of Civil 
Rights for the 70th Anniversary of Brown v Board. All three of them 
were slated to fly to Washington D.C. to be honored by Attorney General 
Merrick B Garland, and Secretary of Education Miquel Cardona. Due to 
her illness, Tessie was unable to fly with Gail and Leona. These women 
joined Assistant Attorney General for a fireside chat, and they shared 
the platform with other powerful notables like Assistant Secretary for 
Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, President & Director-Counsel of the 
NAACP Legal Defense Fund Janai Nelson, and Saba Bireda, Co-founder, and 
Chief Legal Counsel of Brown's Promise.
  Before her illness, she continued to lend herself in service to the 
community of LaPlace, Louisiana and New Orleans with hopes that by 
sharing their story and school experiences, she will inspire the next 
generation to pick up the torch to protect and continue the movement 
toward equitable opportunities and racial harmony. Ms. Prevost lived in 
LaPlace, Louisiana, as a faithful member of Rising Star Baptist Church 
and a former president of the usher board at Blanch Bell Baptist 
Church.
  She is also survived by her niece Deja Hulbert, nephew Derius 
Hulbert, her godchild, Ahtika Monique Merricks, her cousin, who was 
like a sister, Sharon Merricks, sister-laws, Dorothy Williams Grimble, 
Shirley Williams and Brenda Brock Williams, as well as a host of and 
friends. She was loved and adored by her late grandmothers, Dora 
Prevost, and Arie Ruth Mackey.
  I am so blessed and grateful to have known this phenomenal woman, a 
real trailblazer, leader and my true friend. May her story forever 
remain in the history books for everyone across the world.

                          ____________________