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T h u r s d ay, F e b r u a ry 19, 2026
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‘HIS IMPACT IS IMMEASURABLE’ Norman Francis, civil rights icon and longtime Xavier University president, dies at 94
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Archbishop James Checchio distributes ashes during an Ash Wednesday service at St. Louis Cathedral.
Checchio delivers first Mass as archbishop Faithful line up for ashes as Lent begins
BY BOB WARREN Staff writer
Norman C. Francis, former president of Xavier University in New Orleans, died Wednesday.
FILE PHOTO
ä New Orleans leaders react to
BY JOHN POPE
Contributing writer Norman Christopher Francis, the president of Xavier University for 47 years who was a force for justice in classrooms and boardrooms at the local, state and national levels, died Wednesday at Ochsner Hospital, according to family members. He was 94. During Francis’ years as the leader of the country’s only Black Catholic institution of higher learning, the Gert Town
do anything for his family, the Xavier family and the Louisiana family.” Francis’ legacy. PAGE 5A Among those Francis welcomed to Xavier’s campus were the Freedom campus grew from five to 16 build- Riders, civil rights activists he housed ings, expanding far beyond its original in a dormitory in 1961 after White suboundaries. Because of his focus on premacists attacked them in Alabama; science, Xavier became a university former President Barack Obama, who that consistently sent more minority was Illinois’ junior senator when he students to medical schools than any delivered the university’s 2006 comother college in the country. mencement address; and Pope John “His impact is immeasurable,” said ä See FRANCIS, page 4A Dr. Michael Francis, his son. “He would
Hours after they put away the masks and scarfed down the last remnants of king cake, the devout across south Louisiana went to church Wednesday to receive the ashes on their “It’s foreheads that mark the beginning of Lent. beautiful In New Orleans, James to see so F. Checchio celebrated many here. his first Mass as archEveryone’s bishop, where a big been so crowd in St. Louis Cathedral offered him a round gracious. … of applause and then sol- I’m blessed emnly stood in long lines to be in New as Checchio, outgoing Orleans.” Archbishop Gregory Aymond and several other ARCHBISHOP clergy members dabbed JAMES their thumbs in ashes and CHECCHIO then made the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the faithful. During the service, Aymond ceremonially walked Checchio to the cathedra on the altar — the chair that can only be occupied by the current archbishop. As they reached the chair, the men lightly embraced, shared a few words and Checchio sat to the cheers of those who had gathered for the noon Mass. Checchio, who before the service began had walked up and down the center aisle shaking hands and making small talk, acknowledged their support with a wide smile. “It’s beautiful to see so many here,” he
ä See CHECCHIO, page 8A
Nottoway owners plan to rebuild home
but we didn’t want to leave a legacy of ceived calls from people all over the Historic plantation house just leaving Nottoway on the ground.” world, speaking “about how much they destroyed by fire in May When the fire started, Dyess was love Nottoway.”
driving down from Natchitoches, where he owns the historic Steel MagStaff writer nolia House. He had the progress of the fire described to him in increasThe Nottoway plantation house will ingly hopeless phone calls. be rebuilt “exactly” as it stood before By the time he reached Nottoway, the May fire that totaled it, ending its the electrical fire had been blazing for reign as the largest antebellum home nearly four hours. It had started on the in the South, its owner says. southern side, where the basement mu“It was a sad day, May 15. It was a seum was located, then spread quickly sad day for us,” Dan Dyess said. “Part inside to all three floors. of us said we could just sell and leave, After the fire, Dyess said, he re-
BY QUINN COFFMAN
WEATHER HIGH 81 LOW 68 PAGE 8B
Even so, Dyess said he was surprised the fire became national news. The news cycle was dominated by questions of whether it is proper to host weddings and vacation stays on the grounds. Some people celebrated its destruction. Dyess said the “disheartening” backlash has motivated him to consider a “memorial” to Nottoway’s enslaved
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
ä See NOTTOWAY, page 7A Nottoway Plantation was destroyed by a fire on May 15.
Business ......................6A Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
13TH yEAR, NO. 191