<P> Violent attacks on civil rights activists in two mill towns were catalysts to the founding of the first two chapters of the Deacons for Defense and Justice in late 1964 and early 1965, in Jonesboro and Bogalusa, respectively . Made up of veterans of World War II and the Korean War, they were armed self - defense groups established to protect activists and their families . Continued violent white resistance in Bogalusa to blacks trying to use public facilities in 1965, following passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, caused the federal government to order local police to protect the activists . Other chapters were formed in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama . </P> <P> By 1960 the proportion of African Americans in Louisiana had dropped to 32% . The 1,039,207 black citizens were still suppressed by segregation and disfranchisement . African Americans continued to suffer disproportionate discriminatory application of the state's voter registration rules . Because of better opportunities elsewhere, from 1965 to 1970, blacks continued to migrate out of Louisiana, for a net loss of more than 37,000 people . Based on official census figures, the African - American population in 1970 stood at 1,085,109, a net gain of more than 46,000 people compared to 1960 . During the latter period, some people began to migrate to cities of the New South for opportunities . Since that period, blacks entered the political system and began to be elected to office, as well as having other opportunities . </P> <P> On 21 May 1919, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, giving women full rights to vote, was passed at a national level, and was made the law throughout the United States on 18 August 1920 . Louisiana finally ratified the amendment on 11 June 1970 . </P> <P> Due to its location on the Gulf Coast, Louisiana has regularly suffered the effects of tropical storms and damaging hurricanes . In August 2005, New Orleans and many other low - lying parts of the state along the Gulf of Mexico were hit by the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina . It caused widespread damage due to breaching of levees and large - scale flooding of more than 80% of the city . Officials had issued warnings to evacuate the city and nearby areas, but tens of thousands of people, mostly African Americans, stayed behind, many of them stranded . Many people died and survivors suffered through the damage of the widespread floodwaters . </P>

How far is lafayette louisiana from my location