Ernest Nathan Morial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernest Nathan Morial
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Morial in 1985
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| 57th Mayor of New Orleans | |
| In office May 1, 1978 – May 5, 1986 |
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| Preceded by | Moon Landrieu |
| Succeeded by | Sidney Barthelemy |
| 43rd President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 1985–1986 |
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| Preceded by | Hernán Padilla |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Riley Jr. |
| Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 20 (Orleans Parish) |
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| In office 1967–1970 |
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| Succeeded by | Dorothy Mae Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 9, 1929 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 24, 1989 (aged 60) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Resting place | Saint Louis Cemetery No. 3 in New Orleans |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Sybil Haydel |
| Children | 5, including Marc Morial |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1956 |
| Unit | Intelligence Corps |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Ernest Nathan "Dutch" Morial (October 9, 1929 – December 24, 1989) was an American political leader and a strong supporter of civil rights. He was the first African-American mayor of New Orleans. He served as mayor from 1978 to 1986. His son, Marc Morial, also became Mayor of New Orleans later on.
Contents
About Ernest "Dutch" Morial
Early Life and Education
Ernest Morial was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He grew up in the city's Seventh Ward. His family was French-Creole and Catholic. His father, Walter Etienne Morial, was a cigarmaker. His mother, Leonie V. (Moore) Morial, worked as a seamstress.
Morial went to Holy Redeemer Elementary School. He then attended McDonogh No. 35 Senior High School. He graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1951. In 1954, he made history. He was the first African American to earn a law degree from Louisiana State University.
His Career Journey
Morial became well-known as a lawyer. He worked hard to end segregation, which were unfair laws that separated people by race. He fought for civil rights in court. He was president of a local civil rights group from 1962 to 1965.
After trying to win elections in 1959 and 1963, he succeeded in 1967. He became the first black member of the Louisiana State Legislature since the Reconstruction era. He represented a district in New Orleans' Uptown neighborhood.
In 1970, he became the first black Juvenile Court judge in Louisiana. Later, in 1974, he was elected to the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. This made him the first black American to reach this high position in the court system.
Becoming Mayor of New Orleans
In the 1977 election, Ernest Morial became the first African American mayor of New Orleans. He won by defeating Joseph V. DiRosa. Morial received strong support from black voters. He also gained some support from white voters in certain areas.
As mayor, Morial was a strong leader. He worked to make the mayor's office more powerful. He wanted the mayor to have more control over city services. This included groups like the Sewerage and Water Board.
Challenges as Mayor
During his first term, Morial faced some tough challenges. There was a strike by sanitation workers. Then, the police went on strike. This led him to cancel the Mardi Gras parades in 1979. The police hoped the strike would force the city to agree to their demands. However, Morial refused to give in. Many Mardi Gras organizations supported his decision. Some parades were canceled, and others moved to nearby towns.
Achievements and City Growth
Morial achieved many important things, especially in his first term. He continued efforts to hire more minority workers for city jobs. He also set goals for city contractors to hire more minorities. Under his leadership, the number of black employees in the city workforce increased. The number of black police officers also grew significantly.
Morial helped bring federal money for big projects. These included the Canal Place and the Jax Brewery developments. He also supported tourism, which was important for the city's economy. He worked to bring more businesses to the New Orleans East area.
Downtown New Orleans saw a lot of new buildings. Many office towers were built for large companies. These companies brought thousands of jobs to the city.
Morial won his second term as mayor in 1982. He defeated Ron Faucheux in a close election.
Later Challenges
In his second term, the city's economy started to slow down. The 1984 World's Fair took place during this time. It ended up being a financial failure. This caused problems for many local businesses. It also lowered the spirits of the community.
Later Life and Passing
After serving two terms, city rules prevented Morial from running for mayor again. He tried twice to change these rules, but voters did not approve.
Even after leaving office in 1986, Morial remained a powerful political figure. He was thinking about running for mayor again in 1990. However, he passed away suddenly in 1989 from a heart attack. He was 60 years old. His death happened during the election campaign.
His Lasting Legacy
New Orleans honored Ernest Morial by renaming its large convention center after him. It became the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in 1992. This center is very important for the city's tourism. In 2005, it became a well-known symbol. It served as a shelter for people after Hurricane Katrina.
In 1997, the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center honored him. They dedicated the Ernest N. Morial Asthma, Allergy and Respiratory Disease Center. This center helps with education, prevention, treatment, and research for breathing problems. "Dutch" Morial himself suffered from asthma.
Morial was also the 23rd general president of Alpha Phi Alpha. This was the first college fraternity for African Americans. In 1993, he was one of the first people added to the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame. He was the first African American to receive this honor.
A public school in New Orleans East is also named after him: Ernest N. Morial Elementary.
See also
