Vocational Training: 431 Black Women Integrated Southern Offices

Forty-three-one women graduated from a vocational center in New Orleans between 1965 and 1972, using skills in typewriting and shorthand to secure positions in corporate offices across the South. The Adult Education Center operated out of Exchange Place in the French Quarter during the early years of the Civil Rights Act. Its curriculum was designed to prepare Black women for the white-collar workforce at a time when such roles were often inaccessible due to a lack of formal training.

Raphael Morgan, who enrolled in 1970, stated that the center provided her with the specific tools needed to pass job interviews. She paid $40 for books and received instruction in shorthand, typing, and job interviewing skills. Morgan noted that prior to this training, interviewers frequently rejected candidates for lacking experience, a barrier that had previously limited her family to domestic work. She finished her training in 1971 and later earned a teaching degree from the University of New Orleans.

The institution was established in 1965 by Father Timothy Gibbons, a Catholic priest who sought to bridge the gap between school and office work. He hired Alice Geoffray, a seasoned educator who had recently won a national classroom teacher award. Jeff Geoffray, Alice’s son, described his mother as a dedicated professional rather than a civil rights activist who was focused on supporting her students and her family. He noted that many of the women she trained became her close friends.

Jeff Geoffray said his mother believed in the talent of the students, describing them as the first African American secretaries in the Deep South. The graduates went on to work for major organizations, including Shell, Standard Oil, Pan American Life, and the New Orleans city hall. The center closed its doors in 1972 after seven years of operation. Jeff Geoffray and his sister Jeanne now lead a nonprofit organization called the 431 Exchange, named after the total number of graduates and the location of the former school.

The 431 Exchange advocates for equal access to education and provides scholarships to adults pursuing higher learning. The group recently held a reunion for alumni in mid-May. Raphael Morgan attended the event and expressed her gratitude for the educational opportunity she received. She said the organization keeps the vision of Alice Geoffray alive through its current work and scholarship programs.

A documentary about the school, its alumni, and the 431 Exchange is currently in production for PBS. The film is scheduled to be available in 2027. Morgan stated that the documentary will allow the public to see the experiences of the women who integrated these offices. The 431 Exchange maintains an online presence at 431exchange.org for those interested in learning more about the organization's mission.