“Long may The Banner wave!”
Pointe Coupee Banner continues long tradition as official journal
The Pointe Coupee Banner began operation in 1880 and has published without interruption, during the wartime eras and numerous natural disasters.
During the paper’s history, the publication has not skipped an edition. Business continued as usual despite a flood that left New Roads four feet under water in 1882 and an 1884 rain event that brought two feet of water to the city. The newspaper also continued publication without interruption during hurricanes and two world wars.
The newspaper’s roots date back to 1858 as the Pointe Coupee Democrat/Democrate de la Pointe Coupee, a bilingual paper in French and English, up to what is now a publication with a colorful history.
The official journal of Pointe Coupee Parish began publication in August 1880. Civil War veteran Louis Bingman “Biz” Claiborne established the publication as a four-page journal, printed on Saturdays.
Attorneys Albin Provosty and Miguel T. Hewes purchased The Banner in 1888. In 1893, businessman J.P. Gosserand acquired the publication and retained the services of editor L.B. Claiborne.
From 1906 until 1946, the paper was owned by Conrad LeCoq and his wife Nee Blanche Way.
Mrs. LeCoq, a most capable businesswoman, served as the first president of the Louisiana Press Association. It was during the LeCoq era of ownership when The Banner moved its publication day from Saturday to Thursday.
Marshall “Chicken” Roy purchased The Banner in 1946. He was in his youth when he began work as a typesetter for the LeCoqs in 1923.
Lynn Roy joined The Banner as a business partner a few years after his brother Marshall purchased the publication.
The Roy family’s tradition in journalism began with Canada native P.A. Roy who owned and edited the first Pointe Coupee Domcrate/Democrate de la Pointe Coupee from 1858 until 1862. Clement Eli Roy edited the second Pointe Coupee Democrat from 1892 until 1894.
Mary Catherine Roy LaCour inherited a share of the paper upon the death of her father, Marshall Roy, in 1987. She ran The Banner with co-owner Lynn Roy until his death a few years later.
“Tootsie,” as most knew her, ran the newspaper along with her partner, Brent Roy, a nephew of the Roys and the outdoors writer for The Banner. “Tootsie” was the recipient of many award and always ready to greet anyone with a cup of coffee.
She operated The Banner until her death in October 2018, but the family tradition has continued. The Banner is now published by Tootsie’s children, Bonnie LaCour D’Arensbourg and Mark LaCour.
As Tootsie would always say, “Long may the Banner wave.”
