St. Charles Parish · Louisiana
Preservethe 43
Help document the story behind Derrick Monk's 43 Trailblazers Memorial.
In the 1965–66 school year, approximately 43 Black students volunteered to transfer to previously all-white schools in St. Charles Parish. Artist Derrick Monk is now creating a permanent memorial honoring their courage and legacy.
Help us raise $35,000 to complete the documentary.
Travel · Interviews · Archival Research · Filming · Post-Production
Campaign Goal
$35,000
Why this story matters
Approximately 43 Students. One Historic Step. A Legacy Worth Preserving.
Who were the 43?
Approximately 43 Black students volunteered to transfer to previously all-white schools in the middle of the 1965–66 school year under the parish's Freedom of Choice plan.
What happened in 1965?
St. Charles Parish Public Schools became one of the first five Louisiana school systems to voluntarily begin desegregation. The following school year, 112 Black students made the transfer.
Why was it significant?
The students faced threats, insults and other mistreatment. Their decision opened a path for those who followed, though full desegregation was not completed until 1969.
Why does it still matter?
Their experiences connect the parish's classrooms today to the unfinished work that began in 1965. The memorial makes their courage visible for future students and families.
Source note — these details are drawn from St. Charles Parish Public Schools reporting and its 2022 Trailblazers documentary. District accounts use “approximately 43”; an official complete roster has not been publicly released.
Reference image — archival photograph pending permissions
The artist
Meet the Artist Behind the Memorial
St. Charles Parish Public Schools commissioned artist Derrick Monk to create the Trailblazers Memorial, a permanent public artwork honoring the Black students who first transferred to previously all-white parish schools in 1965.
In October 2025, Monk led three workshop sessions at the district's central office for elementary, middle and high school artists. Students designed and carved sculptural elements for a collaborative bas-relief mural to be cast in aluminum and installed at the central office.
Monk described the workshop as a bridge between the Trailblazers and the parish's future. Students connected classroom learning, hands-on making and service to their community while becoming part of the memorial's creation.
From classroom to cast metal
Students Shape the Memorial
The memorial does more than honor the students of the past. It physically connects their legacy to the students of today.
As part of the project, Monk engaged current elementary, middle and high school students in a hands-on metal-casting workshop in October 2025. Students created sculptural elements that were originally formed in foam and then transformed through the metal-casting process.
Those student-created castings have been incorporated into the benches of the 43 Trailblazers Memorial, creating a permanent connection between the students who helped change history and the young people who now walk the halls of the schools they helped transform.
The inclusion of the students' castings is intentional. The benches symbolize a place where generations can come together, while the sculptural elements created by today's students represent inclusion, unity and continuity between the past and present.
“These 43 Trailblazers were young people who became part of something much larger than themselves. This memorial is about making sure their courage is seen, their names are remembered, and future generations understand that progress happens because people are willing to step forward.”— Derrick Monk
From vision to memorial
The Sculpture
The Concept
Maquette rendering of the 43 Trailblazers Memorial.
The Process
The memorial takes shape on site — clay reliefs, scaffolding and all.
The Memorial
A permanent public tribute honoring the 43.
The documentary
The Sculpture Tells a Story. The Documentary Preserves It.
Derrick and his wife have already been documenting the creative process — quietly, on an iPhone, from the first sketches forward.
What began as an intimate record of the artistic process has grown into something much bigger: an opportunity to preserve the voices, memories and history surrounding the 43 Trailblazers.
The documentary will document
- Derrick Monk's creative process
- The development of the memorial
- Interviews with surviving Trailblazers
- Family members and community members
- Educators and historians
- Archival photographs and documents
- St. Charles Parish locations connected to the story
- Behind-the-scenes footage
- Installation of the memorial
- The September 23, 2026 ribbon-cutting ceremony
- Community reactions
- The legacy of the 43 for future generations
Why document this now?
Public monuments preserve physical history. Documentary films preserve voices.
The 43 Trailblazers lived through a defining moment in St. Charles Parish history. Their memories, experiences and perspectives are an invaluable part of that history. This documentary is an effort to make sure those stories are recorded — not just for today, but for students, families, researchers and future generations.
Some stories cannot wait
September 23, 2026
Ribbon Cutting
Derrick has already begun documenting the creation of the memorial. Now he needs to return to Louisiana to capture the ribbon-cutting ceremony and, just as importantly, sit down with people who experienced this history firsthand.
These firsthand memories are irreplaceable. The opportunity to record them is now. The documentary team needs to be in Louisiana for approximately two weeks to conduct interviews and gather essential footage.
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Where your support goes
Your Contribution Helps Bring the Story to Life
Travel
Getting Derrick and the production team to Louisiana.
Lodging
Approximately two weeks of accommodations.
Production
Camera, sound and production resources.
Interviews
Recording firsthand stories from Trailblazers, families and community members.
Archives
Research, photographs, historical materials and licensing.
Post-Production
Editing, sound, color, graphics and finishing.
Distribution
Preparing the documentary for screenings, festivals and educational opportunities.
Raised
$0of $35,000
Become a patron
Become a Patron of the 43 Trailblazers Documentary
You helped preserve this story. That is the benefit. Recognition follows at every level.
43 Trailblazers Documentary Patron Collection
Own the Art. Preserve the Story.
Derrick Monk is making selected works of his art available to supporters of the documentary. Every purchase helps support the documentation and preservation of the 43 Trailblazers story.
Passage, No. 1
Bronze relief · 24 × 18 in · Original
The First Step
Cast bronze · 8 × 6 in · Edition of 43
Parish Register
Engraved brass · 16 × 12 in · Original
Corporate sponsorship
Become a Documentary Sponsor
Businesses, foundations and organizations can help preserve this important piece of Louisiana history while receiving recognition for their support of arts, education and community history.
The archive
Meet the 43
St. Charles Parish Public Schools describes the first group as approximately 43 students. A complete official roster has not been publicly released, so this archive begins only with a participant identified in the district's published record.
Ulysses Frontha
Trailblazer · Educator · Advocate for recognition
Ulysses Frontha was one of the original students and later served for many years as a teacher at Destrehan High School. He brought the idea of formally recognizing the first Black students to School Board member Ellis Alexander, helping set in motion the district's Trailblazers documentary and memorial effort.
Additional profiles will be added after district verification and family permission
The future
This Story Is Bigger Than a Film
Community Screenings
Bring the film back to St. Charles Parish.
Educational Use
Develop materials for schools and educators.
Museums & Cultural Institutions
Make the documentary available for historical and cultural programming.
Film Festivals
Submit the film to appropriate festivals.
Digital Distribution
Explore online and streaming distribution.
Historical Archive
Preserve interviews and supporting materials where permissions allow.
Help Preserve the 43
In 1965, 43 Black children helped change the history of St. Charles Parish.
In 2026, their story is being transformed into a permanent memorial.
Now, we have an opportunity to preserve the voices, memories and story behind that memorial. Derrick Monk has begun documenting the journey. With your support, we can take that documentation further — and preserve this story for generations to come.
$35,000 Campaign Goal