In 1869, Straight University and the Union Normal School were founded. They were subsequently renamed Straight College and New Orleans University, respectively. In 1930, the two schools merged to form Dillard University.  The trustees of the new university called for the implementation of a coeducational, interracial school that would serve a predominantly African American student body adhering to Christian principles and values.

The university was named in honor of James Hardy Dillard, a distinguished academician dedicated to educating African Americans.  This year, Dillard University celebrates 150 years of commitment to excellence in education and strives to position itself as one of the nation’s premier centers for undergraduate research.  A recent major realignment of academic units has created two colleges, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Professional Studies, in order better to serve students’ needs in today’s growing global economy.

The School of the Humanities, in the College of Arts and Sciences, emphasizes culture from a global perspective as expressed in literature and the creative arts, and offer majors in the following areas: Visual Art, English, Music, Film, and Theater Arts.  Students may also minor in World Languages.

Dillard University’s Theatre Program is housed in the School of Humanities and it is the oldest H.B.C.U. (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) theatre program in the country. It was founded by S. Randolph Edmonds. A man of remarkable talent and achievement, Edmunds wrote his first play in 1922, and proceeded to graduate from Oberlin College in 1926.  In 1934, he received his master’s degree in English and Drama at Columbia University and went on to study at the Yale University School of Drama.  His achievements as a director, playwright and educator won him widespread acceptance as the unofficial “Dean of Black Academic Theatre.” From 1935 to 1944, Edmonds established and directed the Dillard Players’ Guild at Dillard University and played a lead role in the formation of the Southern Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts, later called the National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts.

The mission of the Theatre Arts Program is to provide rigorous, professional training in a liberal arts context for future actors, directors, designers, managers, teachers, scholars, and related theatre practitioners. The program is committed to the aesthetics of Black theatre, creating a globally aware artist while identifying, sharing, and perpetuating the highest standards possible.

The collaboration between Dillard’s Theatre Arts Program and Moscow Nights is a valuable initiative for both programs. This wonderful collaboration provides both the Performance and theTechnical Theatre Majors alike the opportunity to work alongside the region’s finest professional theatre cast and crew, affording them an invaluable educational and training opportunity, andthereby strengthening and supporting the overall mission of Dillard’s Theatre Arts program.

And so, with 150 years of academic excellence, Dillard University continues its historical commitment to excellence in education and the arts …