Notable Alumni of Xavier University of Louisiana

Alexis Herman 1947–2025

23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: Spring Hill College, Edgewood University

Troy Carter 1963–

U.S. Representative from Louisiana

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

LaToya Cantrell 1972–

62nd Mayor of New Orleans

Also attended: Harvard University

Aaron Henry 1921–1997

Civil rights leader and Mississippi NAACP head

Akilah Weber 1978–

California state senator and physician

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: University of Rochester

Mother: Shirley Weber (University of California-Los Angeles)

Ernest Nathan Morial 1929–1989

First black mayor of New Orleans

Also attended: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Child: Marc Morial (Georgetown University, University of Pennsylvania)

Percy Bland 1970–

Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi

Also attended: University of Southern Mississippi

Brian Anthony Jackson 1960–

U.S. district judge, Middle District of Louisiana

Annie Easley 1932–2011

NASA mathematician and rocket scientist

Also attended: Cleveland State University

Regina Benjamin 1956–

18th Surgeon General of the United States

Also attended: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Morehouse School of Medicine, Tulane University of Louisiana

Gilda A Barabino 1956–

Biomedical engineer, former Olin College president

Also attended: Rice University

Tasha Inniss

Mathematician and vice provost at Spelman College

Also attended: University of Maryland-College Park

Norman Francis 1931–2026

President of Xavier University of Louisiana, 1968–2015

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1952

Also attended: Loyola University New Orleans

Lee Allen 1926–1994

Tenor saxophonist and member of The Blasters

Germaine Bazzle 1932–

Jazz vocalist from New Orleans

Larry Marshall 1944–

Actor and singer

Also attended: The New England Conservatory of Music, Fordham University

Jowharah Jones 1982–

Actress and singer in Ugly Betty

Also attended: New York University

Herb Douglas 1922–2023

Long jump athlete

Also attended: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Slick Watts 1951–2025

Former NBA player who led the league in assists and steals

Also attended: Grand View University

Nathaniel Clifton 1922–1990

One of the first African Americans in the NBA

John Favalora 1935–

Former Catholic Archbishop of Miami

Also attended: Catholic University of America, Saint Joseph Seminary College, Tulane University of Louisiana

Brendan Cahill 1963–

Catholic Bishop of Joliet

J. Terry Steib 1940–

Catholic bishop, former Bishop of Memphis

Fernand J. Cheri 1952–2023

Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans

Also attended: Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School of Theology