Dent outlines Christian's Duties for Dillard Project

Letter 24

A.W. Dent Outlines Christian's Duties

for Dillard-WPA History Project

DILLARD UNIVERSITY

Office of the President

New Orleans, LA.

January 12, 1943

Mr. Marcus Christian

Dillard University

New Orleans, Louisiana

Dear Mr. Christian:

Confirming our conversation of today, I wish to advise that effective January 15, 1943, the University can offer you employment until May 31, 1943 at a monthly salary of $82.50. Your duties are to be as follows:

1.. Organize and supervise a War Information Center, under the direction of the Library Committee of the faculty of which Dr. Quarles is chairman.

2. Complete the manuscript covering the Dillard-WPA study of THE NEGRO IN LOUISIANA including all necessary footnotes under the direction of a Board of editors consisting of Dr. Quarles and Dean Moses.

3. Compile a catalog of the material collected in connection with THE NEGRO IN LOUISIANA study and place it in suitable filing condition. As per our agreement with the WPA, this material is now the property of the University and is to be placed in the custody of the University library for permanent keeping.

It is our understanding that the manuscript and the cataloging of the material are to be complete not later than May 31, 1943.

Upon your acceptance of these terms I shall ask the Library Committee to work out with you a plan for handling the War Information Center and Dr. Quarles and Dean Moses to work out a plan for completing the manuscript and cataloging of the materials.

Sincerely yours,

A.W. Dent, President

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Dr. Albert W. Dent (1904-1984), the university's third president served from 1940 to 1969, under his leadership Dillard University became a charter member of the United Negro College Fund in 1944, and in 1958 was admitted to membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university gymnasium named in his honor was rededicated on October 14, 1999. Built in 1969 at the end of his service, Dent Hall is the home of the Blue Devils and the Lady Blue Devils basketball teams.

A graduate of Morehouse College, Mr. Dent became superintendent of Flint-Goodridge Hospital after a brief business career in Georgia and Texas. For six years he served simultaneously as business manager of Dillard University and superintendent of Flint-Goodridge Hospital. In 1931 he married Ernestine Jessie Covington. From 1941 to 1969 Albert Dent was the president of Dillard University.