New Orleans HBCUs revive the tradition of Black-Jewish scholar relations

By TAMERRA GRIFFIN

After Dillard University President Dr. Rochelle Ford began her term last July, she visited the school’s shuttered National Center for Black-Jewish Relations, which was established in 1974 and closed in 1997, and read a book about past symposiums held on campus. She was instantly fascinated by the work being done back then.

Then she started seeing manifestations of that work pop up across campus and in the greater New Orleans area.

“As I got to know more leaders in town, I met a Jewish American family that used to do Dillard’s general counsel and external counsel work,” Ford said. “I talked to another person whose relative helped desegregate New Orleans. Then I learned about the architect who helped design