GVEC presented the 2024 Organization Public Service Award to the Edwards Association. The Association was founded during the integration era to preserve the legacy of Gonzales’ former all-Negro Edwards High School, Junior High, and Elementary schools.
The schools were built in the early 1900s and closed their doors in 1966 with the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill. The Edwards Association was also formed during this time, with a mission to preserve the legacy of the school grounds property, articulate the history and experience of segregation, and provide a community center for Gonzales.
For many years, the school grounds property fell into misuse, neglect and a bad state of repair. Mr. Lawrence Fryer, Edwards High School alumni and former Agriculture teacher in Waelder, regretted seeing the decline and so began the arduous task of negotiations and restorations. Over the years, other school alumni and community members have joined in the challenging process and undertaken numerous initiatives to revive the property. Today, the Edwards Association hosts annual events throughout the year to engage and serve the community.
A few of these events include hosting the annual Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration, providing education during Black History Month, awarding scholarships to deserving high school seniors, commemorating Juneteenth, organizing alumni school reunions, and many more community-wide events and fundraisers.
Additionally, the Edwards Association and the Gonzales Pit Masters provided thousands of free BBQ plates to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and opened the Edwards School African American Museum in July 2022.
The Edwards Association has received several awards, including entries in the Come and Take It parade, the Community Service Award in 1999, proclamations from the City of Gonzales, and a state marker recognizing African American Education in Gonzales. Its most significant accomplishment to date is the listing of Edwards High School on the National Register of Historic Places.
Looking to the future, the Edwards Association aims to continue its restoration efforts on its properties and preserve the historic contributions of the African American community in Gonzales.
GVEC commends the Edwards Association for its leadership and for recording and maintaining lasting connections to the history of the African American experience for the people across GVEC’s service area!
