New Xavier statue honors Dr. Norman C. Francis
7th March 2024 · 0 Comments
By Minh Ha
Contributing Writer
(Veritenews.org) — Xavier University unveiled a new statue honoring Norman C. Francis, who steered the school as president for nearly half a century, in celebration of Black History Month on Saturday (Feb. 24).
The bronze statue was met with confetti and applause from more than 100 spectators in the school’s convocation center.
The unveiling ceremony honored the work and legacy of Francis, who has upheld the university’s mission to “promote a more just and humane society by educating its students to become leaders in a global society,” a news release from the university states.
Artist Russell Whiting sculpted the statue based on photos from the school’s archive of a younger Francis. The statue will later be moved to its permanent home on the university’s main quad.
“The most important aspect of this commission was the fact that in a great city like New Orleans, statues of great leaders can stand for generations, even centuries,” Whiting said. “To think that future generations will see the statue and be inspired to investigate the amazing achievements of Dr. Norman C. Francis… is both mind-boggling and gratifying beyond words.”
When talking about the inspiration for the statue, William Goldring, businessman and longtime friend of the Francis family, focused on the word “stand.”
“The word seems more applicable in describing Dr. Francis,” Goldring said. “You stood for civil rights. You stood for the city after Katrina. You stood for every student at this university for more than 50 years. You stood for every child who wanted an education, as you consistently reiterated education belongs to everybody.”
Francis and his extended family were present at the event.
“It is an honor that I could not have imagined as a seventeen-year-old boy in Lafayette, Louisiana, when my father put me on a segregated rail car to go study at my beloved Alma Mater,” Francis said in a news release. “Xavier is the place where I met the love of my life, Blanche MacDonald, and where we raised our six kids. Xavier is and will always be a place that we will love and will support.”
Francis graduated from Xavier with a bachelor’s degree in 1952. He is also the institution’s first Black and first lay president. During his tenure, Xavier saw significant increases in student enrollment and campus expansion projects. He stepped down from his role in 2015 and remains the longest-serving university president in the country.
He has received multiple awards and honorary degrees throughout his career, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President George W. Bush. In 2021, the city also renamed a street, which runs by the southern end of the school, in his honor following the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
The statue’s unveiling is part of a chain of events throughout the month highlighting Black history, culture and impact in the South. The university has held free performances, an art exhibition and faculty recitals.
Throughout the ceremony were testimonies of the university’s board members, former students and Francis’ colleagues, who all expressed their appreciation for his work and commitment to the school and city of New Orleans.
. Francis, you have touched millions of lives,” said Alden J. McDonald Jr., CEO of Liberty Bank and Trust Company and a speaker at the event. “You have touched everyone who is coming through the door of Xavier University, and you have ignited them to be a leader in the world.”
Editor’s Note: Dr. Francis is the father of Verite News executive director David Francis.
This article originally published in the March 7, 2024 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
