St. Augustine HS Basketball Reunion

St. Augustine High School has had the privilege of fielding many talented and successful basketball teams. Perhaps most noteworthy is the role that St. Augustine played in fighting segregation in Louisiana's sports arena. This effort was documented in the 1999 film Passing Glory written by Harold Sylvester one of the key players on that 1966 team.

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Passing Glory is based on the true story of a secret championship game between St. Augustine and Jesuit that took place in 1965. Writer Harold Sylvester played in that game, and St. Augustine's star player, Travis Porter, is based on his experiences (see accompanying interview). Sylvester's connection to the story gives Passing Glory a local, personal feel--the Civil Rights movement as seen through a vignette of New Orleans history.

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When Passing Glory opens, the St. Augustine Purple Knights are on the verge of clenching the New Orleans colored city championship. They know, however, that their victory is not complete; Travis is determined to find out how they stack up against Jesuit, the best white team in the city. When the St. Augustine coach leaves suddenly, Father Verrett (Homicide's Andre Braugher) takes over as coach. A determined desegregationist from Baltimore, Verrett seizes on the idea of a game with Jesuit as a way to quicken the pace of reform in New Orleans.