About Gentilly
Known as the long, graceful New Orleans neighborhood, Gentilly stretches from Esplanade Avenue up to the Industrial Canal. Gentilly’s naturally occurring ridge is made from 19th-century shotguns to early 20th-century bungalows, and, now, mid-20th century ranch houses. Nestled in a landscape of wizened trees, wide lawns, and the broad boulevard called Elysian Fields, Gentilly is a place that generations of New Orleans families call home. Gentilly’s chief landmark and pride is the Historical Black College or University (HBCU), Dillard University, quickly followed by a place we like to call home, the Medard H. Nelson school building.
Nelson Hilaire Médard (1850-1933) was an African-American Creole who began the educational path to become a Catholic priest, but his studies were interrupted by the death of his parents. Returning to his home in New Orleans, he founded and operated a private school for African-Americans in the late 19th century, the Nelson Hilaire Medard School was originally located at 1218 Burgundy St. Later, in the 21st-century,the Orleans Parish School Board opened the Médard H. Nelson Charter School at 3121 St. Bernard Avenue, in honor of Nelson Hilaire Médard and all of the hard work and dedication he showed to the Gentilly community. The school has been a staple of the community and now the proud home of Foundation Preparatory Charter School’s Kindergarten to 5th grade campus.