Leland College


Leland College, originally known as Leland University, was established in New Orleans
around 1870, supported by funding from the American Baptist Home Mission Society and a
substantial gift from Brooklyn philanthropist Holbrook Chamberlain. Named in honor of
Chamberlain’s father-in-law, the institution was dedicated to educating African Americans
at a time when newly emancipated communities urgently needed access to formal
schooling. Though open to students of all races, Leland primarily served Black students
and aimed to prepare them for careers in teaching, ministry, the trades, and broader civic
life. Early catalogs reveal the breadth of its academic offerings, featuring classical
subjects—Latin, Greek, mathematics, rhetoric, and the sciences—alongside industrial and
domestic training for both men and women.

Located on St. Charles Avenue near what is now Audubon Park, Leland’s main campus
grew to include significant brick buildings and landscaped grounds. In addition, it
maintained auxiliary schools across Louisiana, with total enrollment surpassing a
thousand students by the early 1900s. Over time, the surrounding Uptown neighborhood
rapidly increased in value, as nearby Tulane University and other developments took shape.
Leland continued to serve large numbers of students, who were drawn to its combination
of college-preparatory, normal (teacher-training), theological, and industrial programs.
A major setback occurred in 1915, when a hurricane severely damaged Leland’s New
Orleans facilities. Faced with high repair costs and a prime piece of real estate that could
be sold for a substantial sum, Leland’s trustees decided to relocate rather than rebuild.

After encountering resistance to a proposed move near Alexandria, the institution
ultimately purchased a 200-plus-acre site in Baker, north of Baton Rouge. There, it
expanded its curriculum to include agriculture and domestic sciences and continued to
educate African American students. Over the next few decades, however, declining
enrollment and stiff competition from state-funded institutions, such as Southern
University, led to financial challenges. Leland College closed its doors in 1960, leaving
behind a legacy of service to African American education and a historical presence that
once rivaled the major universities in Uptown New Orleans. Notably, even in its later years,
Leland provided formative experiences for local residents such as Linda Thomas
Greenfield—now a prominent U.S. diplomat—demonstrating the school’s lasting impact on
both individual lives and broader educational opportunities in Louisiana.