Black History Month 2023

Part of Dillard University's legacy is the line up of festivals and cultural events that have happened on The Oaks. Some of these events include the Festival of Afro-American Arts, the Jessie Covington Dent Festival, and productions by the Dillard Players’ Guild. Around the same time as some of these festivals, one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world began at a small outdoor venue in New Orleans; and some Dillard alumni believe that the scene on Gentilly Boulevard served as inspiration for the Crescent City's vibrant festival culture. During Black History Month, Dillard featured information and images from some of those festivals and events from the late '60s and early '70s. John Kennedy '10, former Dillard University archivist, joined "Conversations on the Oaks" to talk about these important cultural events.