The Leona Tate Foundation for Change, Inc., located at the Tate, Etienne, and Prevost (TEP) Interpretive Center, has officially opened The Principal’s Office, a lasting exhibit that highlights the journey of three six-year-old girls during a pivotal moment in New Orleans’ civil rights history.
Built in 1929, the building formerly known as McDonogh 19 Elementary School became one of two flashpoints for forced school desegregation in New Orleans in 1960.
On 14 November that year—six years after Brown v. Board of Education—first-graders Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost stepped through a crowd of jeering protesters, flanked by federal marshals, to become the first Black pupils to integrate the school.
The building, now called the TEP Interpretive Center, has been revitalised under Dr Leona Tate's leadership. Together with community partners, she reclaimed the space to honour its legacy and transform it into a centre for civil rights education, racial equity dialogue, community events, and low-income senior housing.
Since opening in May 2022, the TEP Center has served nearly 10,000 K–12 students through various educational programmes. In 2026, it aims to host over 6,500 individuals of all ages, offering hands-on learning, workshops, and guided reflections focused on civil rights history.
An immersive and emotional experience
Although the official exhibit title is The Principal’s Office, the space features signage that reads “A Walk in Our Shoes”, highlighting the core experience of the installation: a literal recreation of the route taken by the three six-year-old girls who desegregated Orleans Parish public schools as they first entered the school.
Visitors follow that brave, courageous journey from the front steps to the principal’s office, experiencing a tangible walk into history.
The story is conveyed through thoughtfully designed experiential elements and narrative flow that enable guests to experience the moment—rather than just read about it.
Fabrication that brings history to life
The exhibit's fabrication was led by Downtown FabWorks, a leading provider of turnkey fabrication solutions for creative projects across the attractions industry.
Using experiential fabrication techniques, the company transformed historical narratives into a tactile, real-world experience that reflects the courage and resilience of Leona, Gail, and Tessie.
The environment is vivid and multi-layered, featuring two large exterior banners that welcome visitors and establish the building's historic significance. Inside, panels and glass window graphics display headlines, photographs, and imagery from the 1960s, capturing the era of that first day.
A tactile hopscotch installation at the principal’s office invites reflection on how, despite fierce opposition, children still found joy in play. A permanent wall installation introduces visitors to Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost, providing context on how their actions helped change America.
Layered narrative banners and spatial graphics guide visitors emotionally and physically through the space, creating an immersive experience.
The exhibit was initially conceived and designed by Gallagher & Associates (G&A), whose role helped shape the conceptual basis that FabWorks brought to life through impactful museum exhibit fabrication.
The TEP Center's The Principal’s Office exhibit is being supported in part by an African American Civil Rights grant from the Historic Preservation Fund managed by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, with extra support from Keesler Federal Credit Union, which sponsored the exhibit’s glass walls.
Education, justice, and empowerment
The Principal’s Office exhibit is now open to the public at the TEP Interpretive Center, located at 5909 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Leona Tate, cutting the ribbon at the Ribbon Cutting and Reception to open The Principal's Office exhibit
In preserving the legacy of the McDonogh Three, the exhibit illuminates a crucial yet often overlooked chapter in America’s desegregation story. Through design, storytelling, and experiential creation, the exhibit powerfully links civil rights history to the ongoing efforts for educational equity, justice, and community empowerment.
Building on the momentum of this impactful exhibit, the Center’s upcoming goals include: installing multimedia components within The Principal’s Office, setting up a new 1st Grade Classroom exhibit, and adding a civil rights timeline to deepen the historical context for all visitors.
Downtown FabWorks also recently helped to deliver an immersive, theatrical tribute to Anne RiceAnne Rice at the historic Orpheum Theater in New Orleans, US.
