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  Morial, Ernest N. "Dutch"
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationDemocratic  
 
NameErnest N. "Dutch" Morial
Address
New Orleans, Louisiana , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born October 09, 1929
DiedDecember 24, 1989 (60 years)
ContributorThomas Walker
Last ModifedRBH
Mar 23, 2021 09:16pm
Tags Army - Catholic -
InfoA New Orleans native born on October 9, 1929, the youngest of six children in Louisiana. He was nicknamed Dutch. The Morial family were devout Catholics. His education began at St. Louis Catholic School. He later attended Xavier Prep. Morial graduated from Xavier University in 1951, a historically Black Catholic college, with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. At the time, it was recognized as the only historically Black Catholic College in the country.

He became the Mayor of New Orleans, a lawyer, and a judge. He was also the first Creole assistant U.S. attorney and the first elected to the Louisiana legislature since the time of Reconstruction.

Ernest N. Morial, a lawyer, was elected the first Creole mayor of New Orleans. His election made news throughout the nation. Morial served two terms from 1978 to 1986. He created the first office of Economic Development to coordinate the city's efforts to retain and attract business and the first minority business enterprise counselor to assist small and minority-owned businesses. Morial took an interest in the Louisiana political arena and began his law career in 1954. From 1965 to 1967, he was Louisiana's first Creole assistant U.S. attorney. In 1967, he was the first Creole since the Reconstruction to be elected to the Louisiana legislature. Morial died on December 24, 1989, of cardiac arrest related to severe asthma.

"Dutch" Morial's achievements are monumental. In 1954, he was the first Creole graduate of Louisiana State University Law School. He then served as Louisiana's first Black Assistant U.S. Attorney and was the first creole Juvenile Court Judge appointed by Gov. John McKeithen. He was also the first creole elected to the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. On May 1, 1978, he became the first Creole Mayor of New Orleans and was reelected to a second term in 1982.

Morial was known by many as a stern man of unquestionable ethics who never let obstacles get in his way. But his profound influence on the state of Louisiana encouraged others to follow in his footsteps and do their best. As one 19 year-old student so appropriately stated: "Dutch changed New Orleans for the better. He changed the laws and he changed the people. He created opportunities that had never existed before. His message to me was that if I work hard and dream great things, and if I can convince others, I can be anything in the world that I want to be."

Being the first Creole-American mayor of New Orleans was but one of many firsts for Ernest N. Morial. In 1967 he became the first Creole-American Democrat elected to the Louisiana Legislature, and was the first creole U.S. Attorney in Louisiana. The New Orleans Convention Center is named in his honor. Morial's eldest son, Marc, was also the Mayor of New Orleans.

1929 -- Ernest N. Morial born in New Orleans, Louisiana

1954 -- Graduates from LSU Law School

1957 -- Begins practicing law after serving in the Army

1965 -- First Creole Assistant UP.S. Attorney in Louisiana

1967 -- First Creole State Representative since Reconstruction Era

1970 -- First Creole Juvenile Court Judge in Louisiana

1974 -- First Creole elected Judge, Fourth Circuit of Appeals

1978 -- First Creole Mayor of New Orleans

1989 -- Suffers fatal heart attack

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EVENTS
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NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor

DISCUSSION
Importance? 8.00000 Average

FAMILY
Son Marc Morial 1958-

INFORMATION LINKS
RACES
  02/01/1986 New Orleans City Council - District D Lost 45.21% (-0.30%)
  03/20/1982 New Orleans Mayor - Runoff Won 53.20% (+6.40%)
  02/06/1982 New Orleans Mayor - Primary Won 46.94% (+1.54%)
  11/12/1977 New Orleans Mayor - Runoff Won 51.78% (+3.55%)
  10/01/1977 New Orleans Mayor Won 26.63% (+2.79%)
ENDORSEMENTS
LA US President - D Primary - Mar 08, 1988 D Michael S. Dukakis