Louis Thomas Achille was born August 31,1909, in Fort-de France, Martinique, French West Indies. He was educated in Paris, receiving the degree Licence-es-lettres (anglais) and Diplome d'e'tudes supe'rieures d'anglais from the University of Paris.

He began to write for publication in 1931, and since that date has been a prolific writer in both French and English. A militant Catholic, Mr. Achille has not only written directly upon religious topics, but he has never failed to imbue with religious principles any piece of writing coming from his pen. His topics have been chiefly racial problems and French colonial subjects. At times be has used the pen name Leon Terraud. He has written for L'appel de la Route, organ of the Compagnons de St. Francois, Paris; L'Etudiant Martiniquais; La Revue de Monde Noir; La Revue de L'AUCAM, organ of the Belgian Association Universitaire Catholique pour L'Aide aux Missions, Louvaine, Belgium; La Revue Anglo-Americaine.

In 1932 he came to the United States as instructor in French in the Romance Languages department of Howard University, later becoming Assistant Professor of French. He was also United States correspondent of Univers, Lille, France.

Since his residence in this country he has contributed to numerous magazines and to the Washington Post, Washington Tribune and the Afro-American.

When he came to the United States, Mr. Achille did not intend to give up his French citizenship, but the sad fate of France in the present conflict induced him to become a citizen in the country of his adoption and he is now on active duty in the United States Army.

Ora Mae Lewis was born March 29, 1918 in New Orleans. Her father, Nathan Leopold Lewis, was a native of Jamaica, and her mother Ceceilia Della Atkinson, a New Orleans Creole. Her paternal grandfather was an educator in the East Indies. Regarding her ancestry on her mother’s side she states, ?My maternal grandmother claims descent from a daughter of Henry I of Haiti, and a son of Chief Black Hawk of America, also of a Moor king in Northern Africa. The only data on the subject is contained in a letter from a Moor in Africa, asserting his relationship. And in an old schoolbook of my grandmother’s is a list of Indian names and birth dates, among which my grandmother’s name is listed."

Her elementary school education was received at Corpus Christi School, Valena C. Jones School, and McCarthy Public School in new Orleans. She attended Albert Wicker PublicHigh School, and St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans, graduating from the latter in 1936.

Upon the completion of High School, Ora Mae Lewis secured employment on the staff of a Negro newspaper in New Orleans, the Sepia Socialite, for which she wrote serial stories and short stories, and conducted the columns "Along with Time," "Downtown," "Big Sister," and "News and Comments." She was with this paper periodically from 1936-1941. From July to December, 1939, she was regularly employed on the staff of The Louisiana Weekly and conducted the columns "Socially Speaking" and "The Man on the Street Thinks," which aroused much comment. She had been a contributor to the paper previous to her employment on the staff. During the summer of 1942, she was employed on the staff of the New Orleans Sentinel and conducted the column "Heart to Heart by Cousin Adele," "Jim Crow Checkerboard," and "Magazine Page." She also contributed to The Item Tribune and The Morning Tribune during 1937 and 1938.

The literary endeavors of this indefatigable young lady aroused much interest, the result being the bestowal of a scholarship to Xavier University by a member of the Hierarchy. After an interruption of seven years, she resumed her studies, being classified as a Junior, January 1943, with a major in English and a minor in Sociology. Her journalistic background was immediately recognized at Xavier, and she was made editor-in-chief of the Xavier Herald.

Her mother died when Ora Mae was only seven years old, and her father later re-married. Ora Mae lives with her grandmother and great-grandmother, and with them also live her sister and brother. She wrote stories and poems at an early age, winning a prize from The Times Picayune in 1927 for the story "The First Christmas" and having "The Life of Cotton," a poem, published on "The Young People's Page" of that paper in 1932. She is a militant propagandist devoting much of her efforts toward securing recognition for Negro achievement and equality of opportunity for her race.

She enjoys telling how the issue of Sepia Socialite containing her story "Black Hands and Yellow Cheeks" was waved on the floor of the Senate by Senator Ellender during his heated debate against Negro voting. This is stated in the Congressional Record. Her stories

in Our Sunday Visitor aroused favorable and unfavorable comment and were the subject of controversy.. In March 1943, her article "The Historian and Negro History" was published in The Negro History Bulletin covering six pages, and a portrait of the author was included. The article had been submitted six years previous to its publication.

But in addition to her serious articles and short stories on racial problems. Her output covers everything from recipes in "Home Hints" and advice to the love-lorn in "Cousin Adele" and "Big Sister" to letters to the editor on contemporary problems.

She is absolutely fearless in expressing her opinion. A Letter to the Archbishop in the Sepia Socialite July 23, 1938, was instrumental in obtaining recognition for Catholic Negroes during the Eucharistic Congress in New Orleans and a removal of the barriers of segregation during the time of Congress.

Ora Mae Lewis definitely intends to make literature her life work, but at present is devoting her efforts chiefly to her college studies. In her free time she is working on an historical novel of a famous Negro character during the eighteenth century. Address: 1934 Annette Street, New Orleans, La.

WRITINGS

Bachelor Dean: a gripping story of college life. Sepia Socialite 1939

A serial story. Eppy teaches the Dean what matrimony really means by expounding the true Catholic concept of Christian marriage.

Bad grass weeded. The Colored Harvest 31:26 April-May 1943

A Josephite with a sense of humor established a church for the colored Catholics of New Orleans twenty-five years ago. Ora Mae Lewis tells the story from the point of view of four children who first met Father when he was cutting down the tall grass in front of the old house to be used for that purpose.

Beauty. N.O Sentinel 3;6 June 20, 1942.

Poem

Behold the black man. Sepia Socialite 1939

The Negro should not resent the epithet "black," but should be proud of it. In this series of articles, the writer advances many excellent reasons with sincere simplicity and frankness.

A bride’s prayer. Louisiana Weekly 11:8 August 28, 1937

Poem

A Carnival kick on the Zulu parade. Sepia Socialite 3: 4 February 10, 1940

Instead of depicting "savages" as representative of the Negro race as the Zulu parade does, why not depict African culture which would do credit to the Negro race?

A Catholic Challenges Catholics. Sepia Socialite 2:7 June 3, 1939

An appeal to colored Catholics to exercise initiative in the use of the educational opportunities they have received, and to unite in an organization which would make them independent of white discrimination.

Cheated. Sepia Socialite 3;4 January 20, 1940

Short Story. All the leaders of history were not white men.

Creation. New Orleans Sentinel 3;6 June 6, 1942

Poem

Creole Sunday. Sepia Socialite 2:15 May 20 - June 24, 1939

Serial article, a combination of fiction and fact, appearing weekly. Initials for names of real persons, and stories concerning them true. Catholic in atmosphere and concerned with the activities of the B.V.M sodality.

The historian and Negro history. Negro Historic Bulletin 6:134-139 March 43

White historian have erroneously concluded that the Congo has no past history because of the absence of material progress. Deeper investigation would reveal evidence of the Negro’s capacity for will, reason, and endeavor.

Note: This is a short list of Ms. Lewis’ publications. Sister Mary Anthony provides a longer list.

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updated 3 November 2007