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2026 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10
BY SENATORS DUPLESSIS, BARROW, BASS, BOUDREAUX, HENRY,
KLEINPETER, LUNEAU, MILLER, MIZELL, MORRIS, MYERS,
PRESSLY, PRICE, REESE, SELDERS, WHEAT AND WOMACK
AND REPRESENTATIVES BOYD, BRASS, BRYANT, CARPENTER,
WILFORD CARTER, CHASSION, FISHER, GREEN, JACKSON,
TRAVIS JOHNSON, JORDAN, KNOX, LAFLEUR, TERRY LANDRY,
LARVADAIN, LYONS, MARCELLE, MENA, MILLER, MOORE,
MURRAY, NEWELL, PHELPS, TAYLOR, WALTERS AND YOUNG
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana to the family of Dr.
Norman Christopher Francis upon the occasion of his passing.
WHEREAS, it is with great sorrow that the citizens of New Orleans and the state of
Louisiana have learned of Dr. Francis' passing at the age of ninety-four on February 18,
2026; and
WHEREAS, born on March 20, 1931, in Lafayette, Louisiana, to Mabel Coco
Francis and Joseph Abel Francis who stressed the importance of education and sent their five
children to Catholic schools; and
WHEREAS, after graduating as valedictorian from St. Paul High School, Dr. Francis
attended Xavier University in New Orleans on a scholarship, where he earned a B.S. degree
in 1952; ultimately becoming the first African-American to enroll at Loyola University Law
School in New Orleans, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1955; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Francis, as a practicing attorney, worked with the U.S. Attorney's
Office to integrate federal agencies; and as a young lawyer, he represented a civil rights case
that rose to the U.S. Supreme Court; however, at that point in his life, he felt he could only
help a few people at a time with his legal expertise and believed he could enact greater
change as an educator because of the "ripple effect" and transformative power it would
produce in people's lives and the community; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Norman Francis became a distinguished higher education leader,
civil rights advocate, and business leader who played a key role in New Orleans' civic,
cultural, and economic institutions; and
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WHEREAS, on April 4, 1968, Dr. Francis assumed the presidency of Xavier
University of Louisiana, the same day of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, which
played a key role in Xavier's decision to house the Freedom Riders in a campus dormitory;
and
WHEREAS, Dr. Francis was the first lay, male, and African-American president of
the university and the second African-American to ever serve as president of a Catholic
university in the United States; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, Xavier University grew in both size and
dimension; it has more than tripled its enrollment, broadened its curriculum with pharmacy
training, and expanded the campus, thus dramatically expanding its national reputation,
particularly in the sciences and health professions; and
WHEREAS, through his service as president from 1968 to 2015, for forty-seven
years, he reshaped not only Xavier, but the city of New Orleans, and the nation it serves.
Xavier University is recognized as a leading producer of black graduates who go on to earn
medical and science degrees; a legacy directly tied to Dr. Francis' belief that education must
serve both opportunity and justice to help individuals and the community flourish; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Francis served as a confidant to key members of New Orleans'
political families: the Landrieus and the Morials, and advised eight U.S. presidents on issues
of education and civil rights which earned him dozens of honorary degrees and, in 2006, the
Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush; and
WHEREAS, as a trusted civic leader whose impact extended far beyond campus,
following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Dr. Francis played a pivotal role as the chairman of
the Louisiana Recovery Authority, demonstrating the state's faith in his exceptional
commitment to his community and its overall advancement as he took charge of planning
the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, as a business leader, in 1972, he co-founded Liberty Bank and Trust
Company to provide financial services to underserved black communities; Liberty Bank is
one of the oldest and largest black-owned banks in the United States, and he was an early
investor in bringing the New Orleans Saints to the city and the development of the Mercedes
Benz Superdome; and
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WHEREAS, nationally, Dr. Francis was hailed as a towering figure in philanthropy
and education, serving as chair of the United Negro College Fund and holding leadership
roles on numerous corporate, foundation, and nonprofit boards; and
WHEREAS, his family, in a statement to Verite News stated, "His legacy lives on
not only through his accomplishments and leadership, but through the countless lives he
inspired, the students and communities he uplifted, the public officials he advised, and
values he passed on to us. We will remember his gentle strength, his unwavering integrity,
and his deep passion for equity."; and
WHEREAS, he is survived by six children: Michael, Tim, David, Kathleen, Patrick,
and Christina, along with eleven grandchildren, and a host of other family members and
friends; and
WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of sixty years,
Blanche Francis; and
WHEREAS, it has been said that the measure of a man is based upon how he lived,
his generosity of spirit, and his capacity to love, and by these and other measures, Dr.
Norman C. Francis indeed stood tall and will be long-remembered.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
extend sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Dr. Norman C. Francis,
upon his passing and does hereby offer prayers and hopes for peace and comfort for those
who mourn as we honor his legacy.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Dr. Norman C. Francis.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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