It was founded by Freedmen's Aid Society and the Methodist Episcopal Church.

It merged with Straight College in 1935 to form Dillard University.

[1] New Orleans University was founded in 1869 by the Freedmen's Aid Society with funds from the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In the year 1869, sixteen schools for African Americans were active in the New Orleans area.

[3] The two schools formed an administrative merger in 1919,[4] with the two institutions remaining in their respective locations.