James Hardy Dillard

Educational work Dillard was appointed a professor of Latin at Tulane University in New Orleans, in 1891; then was named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences three years later. As president of the New Orleans Public Library, he promoted the construction of a Carnegie library for black citizens. He left Tulane to become director of the Negro Rural School Fund (Jeanes Fund), following the death of founder Anna T. Jeanes in 1907, leading it until 1931. In 1910, he became director of the Slater Fund, leading it for seven years. These two philanthropic foundations supported vocational training for blacks and training institutes for black teachers. Dillard was named vice president of the Phelps Stokes Fund in 1925.

Dillard University was formed in 1930 following the merger of New Orleans University and Straight College, two institutions where Dillard was a trustee, and the university was named in his honor. Dillard won the Gold award for Distinguished Achievements in Race Relations of the Harmon Award in 1928, for "his success in increasing county training schools for Negroes from four to more than three hundred, with increased public appropriations from a little more than $3,000 to $1,000,000 annually."