First Draft

                                                                                                                                    Gigi Francis
                                                                                                                                     period 7

    Norman Christopher Francis served as the president of Xavier University of Louisiana for 47 years. And he has changed the way others look at others today.
   Norman had struggled to become where he is today in many ways. Francis grew up poor and underprivileged. His parents had never even finished high school. Norman has been through a lot to get to where he is now. Francis had to fight for what he wanted in life. 
    Norman was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. Norman had grown up under-privileged and poor. There was a lot of segregation going at the time he was growing up. It was had for him to go to school, but he always went and he hardly ever missed a day. Even when he was sick he wanted to go to school. Norman went to St. Paul High School and graduated in 1948. After he had graduated from St. Paul High he was offered a work scholarship to Xavier University in New Orleans. 
   "I went to Xavier and received a B.S. degree in 1952." Norman said. 
    Norman was the first African-Amercian to go to Loyola University and Loyola University Law School. 
   "I was the first African-Amercian to enroll at Loyola and I earned a J.D. in 1955 at Loyola Law School," said Norman.
    Norman had been part of the United States Army. 
    Norman had said, "I went to the military in 1955 after I went to Xavier, I went to law school and Loyola in 1952, then 3 years in law school and got a law degree and then I was drafted in the army in 1955, roughly around September."
     Norman had spent two years in the army and fought in Germany where he was discharged, after two years. When he became discharged "Xavier called and asked if I wanted to spend a few years filling a position of somebody who was retiring and I had already spent the last 3 years before law school at Xavier. I got the call roughly 1957 two months before I was leaving the army. I had accepted the position of being in charge of the freshmen and did that for about two years." said Norman.
     During the time he was going to enroll at Loyola University was very hard for him, seeing that he would be the only Africa-Amercian to be at Loyola. He felt as if he could not go anywhere by himself. 
     Norman had said,"One day I went to a little restaurant to buy a hamburger, and I walk up the lady to order, and she told me, "I'm sorry I'm not allowed to serve you here. We are only allowed to serve you find you are white." So I had to walk around until I found a place that would serve to African-American."
     Norman overcame all of this once he enrolled at Loyola and became the school's first black graduate in 1955."
      He had been asked to be the vice president which was the number 2 position at Xavier University. After being vice president at Xavier in roughly 1968 he was offered president at Xavier University and he said, "I turned it down, but then I reconsidered because everyone who had graduated from Xavier thought this was an opportunity from a black person to take over the University, and so I accepted."
      So he became president in 1968 for the same school he went to. When Norman became president, he was 37 years old. And when he retired in 2015 he was 84 years old, he worked at Xavier for 47 years.
      Before he had become president, he had never ever thought about being president, or even working at Xavier. He never expected that call he got right before leaving the military. 
      But he said, "reconsidering becoming president of Xavier was one of the best decisions I have ever made before in my life. I couldn't image my life if I had never reconsidered calling them back and accepting the position of president I don't  know I would have done with my life."
      Patrick Francis, the son of Norman, said, "Norman is one of the most inspiring person I have met, he always is doing what ever he can to help other people. When I was growing up all I wanted to be was like my dad, not about getting a good job as much, but his personality."
      Norman always did and does strive to help others around him, he wants everyone to become the best person they can be.
      Norman's other kid, Christina Francis, had said, "My dad loves to make people happy. He worked at Xavier for 47 years and I don't think he will ever not be involved with the University, he still helps out with Xavier as Xavier helped him."
     Norman Francis had dedicated his life to Xavier University of New Orleans, he has changed the way Loyola University accepts people. He is a truly an inspiring person.