Baton Rouge is French for "Red Stick."

Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capitol and has become a major educational and oil-processing center in the South.

Baton Rouge is now Louisiana’s second largest metropolitan area at 800,000

With the influx of New Orleans citizens, the African American population is over 200,000.

Although inland, Baton Rouge’s deep-water commercial port is one of the 5 largest in the nation.

Baton Rouge has both the tallest capitol building and the largest oil refinery in North America.

Famous residents born or made their mark here:

Eddie Robinson
Legendary Grambling football coach, attended high school in Baton Rouge.

Rev. T.J. Jemison
Local pastor who led the 1953 Baton Rouge Bus Boycott, which was a model for the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955; also helped found the SCLC with Dr. Martin Luther King

Cleo Fields
At age 28, he was the youngest person ever elected to the U.S. Congress.

P. B. S. Pinchback
The nation’s 1st Black governor served in office here.

Joseph Samuel Clark
Influential and accomplished president of Southern University

Lynn Whitfield
Emmy Award-winning actress

H. Rap Brown
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee activist

Clifton Chenier
Popularized the accordion in Zydeco music

Buddy Guy
Famous Blues guitarist

Bill Gray
Former Congressman & headed United Negro College Fund

Dr. Gardner C. Taylor
Renowned, pastor of Concord Baptist Church

Joe Tex
R&B singer

Willie Davenport
Track and field gold medalist and 5-time Olympian

Ernest Gaines
Famous author and playwright

Doug Williams
First Black Quarterback to win the Superbowl MVP

Master P
Producer and rapper