New Orleans University
New Orleans University was a private historically Black college in New Orleans, Louisiana. It operated from 1869 to 1935 and was founded by the Freedmen’s Aid Society and the Methodist Episcopal Church, using funds from the church.
The school began above Canal Street at Camp and Race streets and later moved to 5318 St. Charles Avenue, near Jefferson Avenue. It served as an auxiliary to Gilbert Academy, a well-known college-prep school for African-American students in New Orleans. In 1919, the two schools merged administratively, but they kept their own campuses.
In 1935, New Orleans University merged with Straight College to form Dillard University, with a new campus built in Gentilly. After the merger, Gilbert Academy moved into the buildings formerly used by New Orleans University.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:05 (CET).