The Xavier community mourns the passing of Sybil Haydel Morial, a member of the class of 1952 and long-serving administrator at Xavier for 28 years. 

一个积极分子, 民权斗士, and purveyor of class and graceful 领导, Haydel Morial was shaped by her lived experience of growing up in New Orleans in the ‘30s and ‘40s, a time when Black folks weren’t free to move about at leisure. 那, 再加上她的好奇心, led her down the path of carving out change, not just for herself but for many, many others who benefited from her zest and spunk.

“Our love and prayers go out to the family of Sybil Haydel Morial. We remember her generous life and legacy and the deep, lasting connections that she and her family have maintained with Xavier University of 路易斯安那州 over many decades; we are inspired by her activism, 领导, 坚定不移, 以及服务的承诺,” 雷诺·弗雷特博士.D., President of Xavier University of 路易斯安那州. “She has been neighbor to many, as taught in the parable of the Samaritan. A member of Xavier's class of 1952 and a long-serving administrator here for 28 years, our university has been greatly blessed by her intellectual and personal gifts that manifest not only on this campus but throughout New Orleans, 路易斯安那州, 在世界范围内. Her gift to all is enduring, and she will be sorely missed.”

While Haydel Morial began her higher education at Xavier, she completed her undergraduate studies at Boston University, 同时, Dr. 马丁·路德·金. worked on his doctoral degree. 在波士顿, Haydel Morial relished life outside of Deep South segregation and politics, but New Orleans still tugged at her roots. 在布朗V号上. Board of Education decision, she returned to her beloved hometown and successfully enrolled in Tulane University for two courses until they noticed ‘Negro’ checked off on her registration forms – she was asked to leave and later rejected from nearby Loyola for the same reason. This further fueled her dreams for an inclusive environment. She returned to Boston to finish her graduate studies and began her professional life.

In 1955, she married fellow Xavierite Ernest “荷兰” Morial (’51), who at the time had just become an example of Civil Rights as he had been the first African American to receive a law degree from 路易斯安那州 State University the year before wedding Haydel-Morial. He would later continue to make history as New Orleans’ first Black mayor. “荷兰,” with his fearless activist wife at his side, began a career of prominence in civic engagement in the fight for equity and equality.

Racial rejection continued to rev Haydel Morial’s quest, and upon being disqualified from membership in the League of Women Voters, she and several other women formed their own organization, CiCulSo(公民, 文化, 及社会组织). The organization evolved into the 路易斯安那州 League of Good Government –a racially inclusive group of women that pursued voting rights and ensured voter rolls included Black people. As tensions rose in the '60s, Haydel Morial fought even harder. In 1963, she filed lawsuits against the Orleans Parish School Board for enforcing a law that prevented Orleans Parish teachers from advocating for integration or belonging to associations that favored integration. As a New Orleans Public Schools teacher, she offered cultural awareness as a 民权斗士 and community organizer.

In 1977, Haydel Morial returned to Xavier University of 路易斯安那州, where she served for 28 years, retiring in 2005 as Vice President for External Affairs. 几十年来, the Haydel Morial family has been deeply connected to Xavier in various capacities, 包括时间, 人才, 和财富.

In an interview for The Xavier Story Project, Haydel Morial reflected on the significance of returning to New Orleans in the wake of civic uprisings and, 最终, e世博esball的遗产. “Even though we loved the freedoms of the North, we all wanted to go back to the South to be a part of the change when it came. 我们做到了.” Haydel Morial also talked about her beloved HBCU and the cultural hub it was, from creating opera opportunities for Black singers to being a haven for the Freedom Riders, among other significant civic engagement and equitable efforts.

Haydel-Morial was 92 years old.