Hundreds of people gathered at Xavier University’s Convocation Center to celebrate the late civil rights icon and longtime school president, Dr. Norman C. Francis, who dedicated his life to civil rights and served as the first African-American in Loyola University New Orleans’ law school despite segregation policies still intact at the time. He led Xavier University of Louisiana as president in 1968 and remained in this role for 47 years. Rep. Troy Carter (D-New Orleans) said at Francis' wake that he will push for the Congressional Medal of Honor, one of the highest honors in the United States. Other speakers at the service included former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu and business partner Alden McDonald.