James H. Dillard

Who was James H. Dillard?

James Hardy Dillard was an educator from Virginia. The son of slaveholders, Dillard was educated at Washington and Lee University then held a variety of teaching positions. In 1891, Dillard was named a professor at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. There, he became increasingly active in advocacy for black education. He led the Jeanes Fund from 1907 to 1931 and also led the Slater Fund for seven years. Following the merger of two black colleges in New Orleans in 1930, Dillard University was founded and was named in his honor.