Notable New Orleanians: A Tricentennial Tribute

A LBERT
W. D ENT
(1904-1987)
The administrative and personal qualities of Albert W. Dent made a New Orleans hospital and
university successful in a difficult era for African-Americans in the South. The founding director of
New Orleans’ Flint-Goodridge Hospital, Dent began his work in 1932 as a twenty-seven year old
Morehouse College graduate. He recruited staff from among the city’s thirty-five licensed African-
American physicians who had formerly no hospital or internships through which to practice. 1
While black physicians received training, Dent, supported by philanthropist Edgar B. Stern (q.v.)
as chairman of the hospital board, invited experienced white physicians to head departments temporarily
and share their skills.
In 1936, Dent raised the funds to hold a summer internship for African-American doctors from
across the South. Doctors from Tulane and Charity Hospitals offered an intense two-week course
with classes at Touro, Tulane and Flint-Goodridge. Dent later remarked that it was the first time
African-American doctors had gone into Touro and Tulane Medical Schools. Thanks to these
efforts, by the end of the 1930s African-Americans headed all of the departments at Flint-
Goodridge Hospital. The hospital achieved national accreditation, owing largely to Dent’s effective
leadership. His resonant voice coming from an imposing six-foot frame gave his practical leadership
authority. Dent’s work at newly-founded Flint-Goodridge was so effective that in 1940 he was
recruited as the second president of newly-founded Dillard University. 2
Dent’s contributions to New Orleans were manifold. For the two decades before 1970, at a time
when there were no black city-wide officials, 3 he was the most influential black leader in New
Orleans. He persuaded Mayor deLesseps Morrison to permit blacks to take the civil service examination
in 1945. He then succeeded in persuading the library board to permit blacks into the main
public library. When he joined the board of the New Orleans Boy Scouts he did so on the condition
that all troops drop segregation. In 1960, he received the Silver Beaver Award from the local
Scouting Council for distinguished service to youth. In 1977, Albert Dent received the Times-
Picayune Loving Cup for his achievements at Dillard.
Albert W. Dent.
DENT FAMILY PAPERS, AMISTAD RESEARCH CENTER.
1 Joe M. Richardson, “Albert W. Dent: A Black New Orleans Hospital and University Administrator,” Louisiana History 37
(Summer, 1996): 309-323.
2 Five presidents have succeeded Dr. Dent. Under the sixth president, Dr. Marvalene Hughes, Dillard successfully survived
Katrina and introduced a four college organization. Enrollment today is about 1300.
3 The Times-Picayune, February 13, 1984.
M ARION A BRAMSON (1905-1965)
Marion Pfeifer Abramson made her mark on the civic life of New Orleans as an educator,
activist, and pioneer in public television. She organized the Independent Women’s Organization
and led “get out the vote” drives. She became an active member of the League of Women Voters
and then president of the New Orleans Civic Council.
Born in New York City in 1905, Abramson grew up in New Orleans. She attended Isidore
Newman School and in 1925 graduated from Sophie Newcomb College. She was editor of the
Newcomb/Tulane Hullabaloo student newspaper and ghost-wrote newspaper columns for football
tight end Jerry Dalrymple (“My End of It”— which several times appeared in the Saturday Evening
Post) and Tulane half back Don Zimmerman’s (“Back Talk”).
Marion landed her first employment after college as an assistant to physicians researching the
hematology of pregnant women. She then moved on to tutoring high school students in literature
BIOGRAPHIES
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