Civil Rights Leader Norman Francis Dies at 94, Honored with Presidential Medal

Norman Francis, a pioneering civil rights advocate and longtime university president, passed away Wednesday at age 94. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient led Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts and spent nearly five decades transforming Xavier University in New Orleans.

Norman Francis, an education advocate and civil rights trailblazer who spearheaded New Orleans’ recovery following Hurricane Katrina, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Throughout Louisiana, community leaders, activists, and residents paid tribute to Francis and his remarkable legacy of service.

“The nation is better and richer for his having lived among us,” stated Reynold Verret, Xavier University’s current president, in a Wednesday announcement confirming Francis’ passing.

Following Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Francis assumed leadership of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the organization responsible for managing the massive, multi-billion-dollar reconstruction initiative.

Mitch Landrieu, who previously served as New Orleans mayor, described how Francis “stood in the breach” during the post-Katrina period. Landrieu, who held the lieutenant governor position when the 2005 hurricane destroyed much of New Orleans, frequently sought Francis’ guidance during challenging times.

“The most defining part of his character is that he treats every human being with dignity and respect,” Landrieu wrote on X Wednesday.

Francis gained widespread recognition during his 47-year tenure as head of Xavier University in New Orleans, America’s sole predominantly Black Catholic institution of higher learning, starting in 1968.

Under his leadership, student enrollment increased by more than 100%, the university’s endowment grew substantially, and the physical campus underwent significant expansion. The institution earned national acclaim for preparing African American students for careers in medicine and graduating professionals in science fields including biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmacy.

When Hurricane Katrina flooded portions of Xavier’s campus with 8 feet of water, Francis made a commitment that the institution would rebuild and reopen.

Several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, recognized Francis among America’s most distinguished university leaders. President George W. Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006.

“Dr. Francis was more than an administrator. He was an institution builder, a civil rights champion, and a man of quiet generosity,” Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter wrote on social media. “He believed education was the pathway to justice. He believed lifting one student could lift an entire family.”

Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, to a barber, Francis graduated from Xavier with his undergraduate degree in 1952. He broke racial barriers by becoming Loyola University law school’s first Black student, completing his legal education in 1955.

After serving two years in military service, Francis joined the U.S. Attorney General’s office to assist with integrating federal government departments.

Despite his professional achievements, racial segregation still prevented him from entering many New Orleans establishments through their main entrances.

“Some people say to me, ‘My God! How did you take that?'” Francis recalled during a 2008 Associated Press interview. “Well, you took that because you had to believe that one day, the words that your parents said to you ‘You’re good enough to be president of the United States’ yes, we held onto that.”

Francis began his long career at Xavier in 1957 as Dean of Men, launching what would become nearly five decades of service to the university.

His wife Blanche passed away in 2015. Together, they raised six children and had several grandchildren.