Loyola University Photographs Collection

Dublin Core

Title

Subject

Loyola University (New Orleans, La.)

Description

The Loyola University New Orleans University Photographs Collection is comprised of photographs dating back to the early 20th century from Loyola's University Archives. Early photographs include some taken by famed New Orleans photographer E.J. Bellocq. Since 1949, the university has employed an official photographer. While a large part of the photographs in the collection come from these university employees, many photographs in the collection are unidentified. When the photographer is known, photos will be credited to that person. Unidentified photos will be credited to the university.

Russ Cresson was the university photographer from 1949 to 1987. A native New Orleanian and a 1938 graduate of Warren Easton High School, Cresson served in the Navy in the Pacific during World War II. In 1946 he joined the wave of veterans entering Loyola on the GI Bill. While pursuing a degree in business and playing on the Wolfpack baseball team, he began working as the unofficial university photographer, taking pictures for the yearbook and The Maroon and photographing campus and administrative activities. When he graduated in 1949, Loyola hired him as its first full-time university photographer. In 1983 he received the Coadjutor Optimus, given annually to an outstanding member of the university staff, and in 2004 he received the Adjutor Hominum, which is presented by the alumni association to an outstanding alumnus.

As an undergraduate, Tracy Smith served as assistant to Cresson, assuming the position of University Photographer after Cresson's retirement. Smith served as University Photographer from 1987-1989.

In 1989 Harold Baquet became Loyola’s university photographer. He was born in Charity Hospital, grew up first in the Treme and then in the Seventh Ward, attended Corpus Christi school and church, and graduated from St. Augustine High School. As a young man he plunged into the profession as an independent photojournalist. A few years later he became the official photographer to the Mayor of the City of New Orleans, a position he held from 1984 to 1989 under Ernest N. Morial and then Sidney J. Barthelemy. With the possible exception of the university president, no figure on campus is better known or more respected than Baquet. Befitting his many contributions and his dedication to the university’s mission, Loyola presented him with two of its highest awards: the Coadjutor Optimus in 2002 and the President’s Medal in 2010.

Photographs from the Dr. Edward Wynne Photograph Collection are also included. Dr. Edward W. Wynne was an Arts & Science graduate of Loyola University in 1939. According to his son, Michael D. Wynne, Dr. Wynne was the school’s photographer during the late 1930s.