Kenneth A. St. Charles, Ph.D. is president and CEO of Saint Augustine High School. New Orleanians, Carnival aficionados and music fans know about St. Aug’s famous band—the “Marching 100”—that is renowned for its musical excellence and precise teamwork. This year marks St. Aug’s 50th anniversary of the partnership between St. Aug and the Rex organization. In 1967, the Krewe of Rex, whose members are synonymous with the upper crust of New Orleans’ society, invited the band to march in the Rex parade. The Marching 100 was the first African-American group to participate in the iconic parade on Mardi Gras day. A half century later, 20 of the original band members from that 1967 parade will once again be in Rex. This time, however, they will be riders on the Rex Calliope Float. St. Aug’s 50th anniversary with Rex is especially important because it demonstrates how coming together in unity makes everyone better as individuals and enriches our society as a whole. In this podcast, Kenneth St. Charles describes the founding of St. Augustine High School and explains how he sees the school moving forward.
Listen to the podcast here.
