Lafayette in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Dedicated in Honor of Christiana Gordon Smith
Photographed by Mike Waldon
1. Dedicated in Honor of Christiana Gordon Smith Marker
In the spring of 1956, she became the Southwestern Louisiana Institute's first African American graduate. Smith's courageous pioneering academic journey paved the way for meaningful change and has inspired generations of students who followed her.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1956.
Location. 30° 12.589′ N, 92° 0.996′ W. Marker is in Lafayette, Louisiana, in Lafayette Parish. It can be reached from Girard Park Drive west of E St Mary Blvd. At small footbridge next to the Alumni Center Garden. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 Girard Park Dr, Lafayette LA 70503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Louisiana’s Acadiana Cajun Country. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, Acadia, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Southwestern (approx. 0.2 miles away); Amιdι Ardoin / Dennis McGee (approx. Ό mile away); McNaspy Stadium Memorial (approx. Ό mile away); Green Infrastructure & Urban Prairie (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pillars of Progress (approx. 0.3 miles away); University of Louisiana at Lafayette (approx. 0.3 miles away); University of Louisiana at Lafayette 50th Anniversary of Desegregation (approx. 0.3 miles away); Eddy and Ann Knight (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lafayette.
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Photographed by Mike Waldon
2. Dedicated in Honor of Christiana Gordon Smith Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2026, by Mike Waldon of Lafayette, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2026, by Mike Waldon of Lafayette, Louisiana. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
