New Orleans School Graduates 431 Women Who Integrated Corporate Offices
A vocational center opened in 1965 trained Black women in office skills, enabling them to become the first African American secretaries in major Southern companies.
By Neha Kapoor ·
Women who attended a vocational school in New Orleans in the 1960s and 1970s recently gathered for a reunion. The gathering marked the legacy of the former Adult Education Center, which prepared Black women for white-collar employment. These graduates broke barriers in corporate offices across the South during the era of desegregation.
The center opened in 1965 at Exchange Place in the French Quarter. It was founded by Father Timothy Gibbons, a Catholic priest who sought to bridge the gap between education and employment. The school taught practical skills such as typewriting, shorthand, and job interviewing. Alice Geoffray, a national award-winning teacher, served as an educator there for seven years.
Raphael Morgan enrolled at the center in 1970 after high school. She chose the program because she could not afford college and needed specific office skills to secure employment. The cost for books was $40. Morgan noted that without these skills, interviewers frequently rejected her for lack of experience. She stated that the training gave her the ability to compete for positions previously out of reach for Black women.
The 431 graduates, mostly African American, used their new skills to enter major corporations. They became the first African American secretaries in the Deep South. Their careers included roles at Shell, Standard Oil, Pan-American Life, and the New Orleans city hall. Jeff Geoffray, son of Alice Geoffray, said his mother viewed her students as talented professionals rather than just trainees. He noted that she maintained lifelong friendships with many of them.
The Adult Education Center closed its doors in 1972. Today, Jeff Geoffray and his sister Jeanne operate a nonprofit called 431 Exchange in the building where the school once stood. The organization advocates for affordable education and provides scholarships to adults. The name honors the 431 women who graduated from the original program.
A PBS documentary focusing on the history of the school and the work of the nonprofit is scheduled for release in 2027. Raphael Morgan expressed excitement for the film, saying it will allow the world to see the experience of the graduates. The documentary will detail how the center helped women navigate the transition from domestic work to corporate employment.
Morgan went on to earn a teaching degree from the University of New Orleans. She also worked for the Orleans Parish School Board and as an insurance adjuster. She described herself as a lifelong teacher because of the impact education can have on a person's life. The reunion served as a connection between the past graduates and the current efforts of the 431 Exchange.
