AFRICAN AMERICAN SCHOOL BUILDING REVIVAL
Cohn High School
West Baton Rouge Parish
In 1949, an old U.S. Army hangar was moved from Harding Army Air Field — now Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport — to land donated by the Cohn family to house the parish’s first African American high school. Until then, Black students were able to attend elementary school in West Baton Rouge Parish, but had to travel to high schools in other parishes, such as McKinley High School in East Baton Rouge, if they wanted to continue their education. Before Cohn High School’s founding, only 67% of the parish’s Black students were enrolled in high school. After Cohn High School opened, that number increased to 99%. The old hangar was divided up into classrooms, but eventually new buildings were constructed, so the hangar ultimately became the school gym. After desegregation closed the school in 1969, Cohn students were integrated into the formerly all- White Port Allen High School. Cohn Elementary School still occupies the space. Although nonprofit agency DOC DHL, Inc. was able to get the historic school buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, the historic buildings were demolished in 2014 due to its deteriorated condition, despite the efforts of the Alumni Association. Due to its demolition, the school was de- listed in 2015 from the National Register. Other mid- century buildings on the campus are extant and in use
Cohn High School
OPENED: 1949
CLOSED: 1969
OTHER NAMES OF SCHOOL: Cohn Elementary School
OTHER USES/CURRENT USE: Elementary school
805 14th Street
Port Allen, LA 70767
