In February 1892, Alfred Clay mobilized an army of progressive-minded citizens of New Orleans to wage “war against all the enemies of little children.” Patterned after child-advocacy movements in England and the northeastern United States, the group incorporated as The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and saved thousands of children from poverty, abuse, and delinquency.
More than 130 years later, the agency remains committed to children and operates under the name: Children’s Bureau of New Orleans. Since its inception, the Children’s Bureau has strived to serve children of all races and religions as their needs and community resources have changed.
Today, the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans is a premier mental health agency providing community-based services to more than 3,000 children and their families each year.
Among the many success stories was Louis Armstrong, who thrived at a home operated by the agency.
Did You Know?
The history of the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans is chronicled in Saving Wednesday’s Child by Mark Cave of the Historic New Orleans Collection.
Saving Wednesday’s Child is available for purchase for $13.95. All proceeds benefit the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans.
