First Lady Jill Biden, former Ambassador Andrew Young, and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined a congregation of mourners on Monday, honoring the life and legacy of Sybil Morial, a notable civil rights activist from New Orleans. Morial, widow of New Orleans’ first Black mayor, Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial, and mother to former Mayor Marc H. Morial, passed away earlier this month at the age of 91.
The funeral services at Xavier University, where Morial both studied and worked for 28 years, drew attention from various media outlets. Jill Biden conveyed her tribute through a video message, while Andrew Young, a lifelong friend and former mayor of Atlanta, delivered an emotional speech in person. “There’s something magical, and spiritual, about the life of Sybil Morial that will never die,” Young remarked.
Rev. Al Sharpton, leader of the National Action Network, praised Morial’s enduring impact on societal progress. “What Sybil Morial has done goes beyond her family, goes beyond her husband and goes beyond her children and grandchildren,” he declared. “All of us are better because she decided to join the struggle to make the country better racially and gender-wise.”
Sharpton also read condolences from Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, who lauded Morial’s life of breaking barriers and inspiring future generations. “Mrs. Morial will be remembered for the light she brought to this world,” Harris wrote. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton also sent their condolences, referring to Morial as “an extraordinary woman.”
Born on November 26, 1932, Sybil Morial grew up in a deeply segregated New Orleans under the guidance of her physician father and schoolteacher mother. She initially attended Xavier University of Louisiana, switching later to Boston University, where she crossed paths with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Morial’s encounter with King fueled her dedication to the Civil Rights Movement upon her return home.
As an advocate, Morial founded the Louisiana League of Good Government, which endeavored to aid Black citizens in voter registration amidst oppressive requirements. She challenged a Louisiana law prohibiting public school teachers from engaging in groups fighting segregation and became a named plaintiff in related litigation, as highlighted by the LSU Women’s Center.
During the family reflections, Marc Morial, now the head of the National Urban League, poignantly lamented that the city had “lost its matriarch.” He detailed her influence on her children, attributing their various strengths and talents to traits inherited from their mother. Marc Morial recounted how his siblings embodied different aspects of their mother’s intelligence, social skills, and authoritative demeanor. “She could cook, talk to you on the phone, help us with homework, and every hair would still be in place. She was masterful in carrying out many things at one time,” he reminisced.
In his final remarks, Marc Morial offered a resonant tribute as he envisioned his mother’s arrival at the gates of heaven. “Open the gates! Sound the trumpet! Roll out the red carpet! Our queen is coming your way!” His stirring words prompted a heartfelt round of applause from those in attendance.
