Scouting in Louisiana - Early History (1910-1950)

Early History (1910-1950)

The first BSA Troop in Louisiana was founded in 1912 in Lake Charles, LA. Troop 1 of the Calcasieu area Council was the first troop west of the Mississippi and was led by Scoutmaster Seaman A. Mayo. Today Troop 1 is Troop 5 of First United Methodist Church, Lake Charles Louisiana.

Until 1974, some southern councils of the Boy Scouts of America were racially segregated. (The Old Hickory council did not integrate until 1974.) Negro Troops, as they were officially known, were sometimes given little support from Districts and Councils. Some Scouting executives and leaders believed that black scouts and leaders would be less able to live up to the ideals of the Boy Scouts.

In the days of segregation, five of the seven Louisiana councils maintained a separate summer camp for Negro scouts and the other two ran a special session at the regular council camp in order that black scouts would not be denied a camping program. In the period 1957-1967, each of the "Negro Scout Camps" were closed and the regular councils camps were integrated. Negro camps in Louisiana were: Camp Pioneer (Norwela Council), Camp Britton (Ouachita Valley Council), Camp Chenier (Evangeline Area Council), Indian Village Scout Camp (New Orleans Area Council), and Camp Carver (Istrouma Area Council).