History of Louisiana Boys State
Boys State began in 1935 in Illinois as a sponsored program of the American Legion and came to Louisiana five years later. Under the segregated system of the time, Louisiana originally had were two separate programs – Pelican Boys State, founded in 1940 for white students and Bayou Boys State, founded in 1949 for all others. The programs integrated in the 1960s to form today’s single Louisiana Boys State program.
The first director of Boys State in Louisiana was J. Perry Cole, a math professor at LSU. The assistant director was Dr. Alden Powell of the LSU Department of Government.
The first program at Pelican Boys State had 110 citizens. Dr. Powell’s book, “Louisiana Government at a Glance,” served as the the Boys State handbook for many years. It was written into a textbook called “Premier of Government In Louisiana.” So successful and effective was the book that in 1946 it was adopted as a state high school civics book.
Those two pioneers were followed by Dr. Arthur “A.R.” Choppin, another member of the LSU faculty. He served as Director of Louisiana Boys State for 32 years. In recognition of Dr. Choppin’s great service and dedication, the A.R. Choppin Award is given each year in recognition of the Citizen who best embodies the traits and ideals of the program. He was followed as director in 1974 by our second-longest serving director, Albert Clary, LSU Registrar.
In 2007, the program moved for the first time to the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA. During the 18 years at NSU, Louisiana Boys State underwent some of the largest changes in program history. In 2011, a wholesale review of all aspects of the program was conducted, updating program structure and activities to create a more engaging and conducive leadership training program suited to the 21st century. Following a nationwide Boys State program cancellation in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021 LABS conducted a 5-day virtual program with a 100% attendance and completion rate. Modelling the same practices of leadership development and evaluation taught to Citizens throughout the program, staff and counselors took lessons learned from this experience to reimagine academic portions of the program in beginning in 2022. This updated approach allowed Citizens the opportunity to even more fully engage with and immerse themselves in the learning process and develop their own leadership skills.
Beginning in 2025, Louisiana Boys State will transition to just the third host campus in its history as it moves to Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA.
Louisiana Boys State Program Directors/Chairs
- J. Perry Cole (1940-1941)
- Arthur “A.R.” Choppin (1942-1974)
- Albert Clary (1975-1998)
- D’Ann Morris (1999-2005)
- Dewey Coles (2006-2009)
- Gilbert Lovelady (2010-11)
- Harold Burson (2012-2013)
- Philip Legendre (2014-2019)
- Tina Cielatka (2020-present)
Since its inception over 85 years ago, Louisiana Boys State has altered the lives of close to 30,000 young men in the State of Louisiana.
What is Boys Nation?
Just as the Louisiana Department of the American Legion brings together outstanding students from across the state, the American Legion hosts Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., each summer. Two delegates are selected from each state to serve as Senators, learning about and acting through Congressional legislative functions. They also have the opportunity to meet with elected and appointed officials at the federal level; tour federal offices, agencies, and memorials; and to elect the highest offices in all of Boys State and Boys Nation – the President and Vice President.
From the American Legion:
Two representatives from each of the 49 Boys States represent their state at Boys Nation in Washington, where the young leaders receive an education on the structure and function of federal government.
The first Boys Nation – then called Boys Forum of National Government – convened at American University in Washington in August 1946. The 1946 American Legion National Convention adopted the event as an official youth activity. Three years later, it became American Legion Boys Nation.
At the event, each delegate acts as a senator from his Boys State. The young lawmakers caucus at the beginning of the session, then organize into committees and conduct hearings on bills submitted by program delegates.
Senators learn the proper method of handling bills, according to U.S. Senate rules. Participation in the political process is emphasized throughout the week, including organization of party conventions and nominating and electing a president and vice president.
The week of government training also includes lectures, forums and visits to federal agencies, national shrines, institutions, memorials and historical sites. On Capitol Hill, Boys Nation senators meet with elected officials from their home states.
Since Boys Nation began in 1946, a number of its graduates have been elected to public office, including presidents, congressmen, state governors and state legislators. Many others have been inspired to work for the campaigns of individuals seeking public office.
