Henry Bernstein: French Quarter Philanthropist
Henry Bernstein, at home in the French Quarter, photo by Ellis Anderson
May 2024As of April, UNO’s College of Business Administration has a new name – one honoring a long-time Vieux Carré resident and dedicated champion of higher education.
– by Claude Summers
On April 9, 2024, the University of New Orleans renamed its College of Business Administration in honor of French Quarter resident Henry A. Bernstein. The name change honors Bernstein's long history of supporting UNO, especially – but not exclusively – its College of Business Administration. He is one of the founding members of the University of New Orleans Foundation and currently co-chairs the cabinet for the University of New Orleans capital campaign, to which he is the largest donor.
At UNO, he has also established the Annette Weinberg Bernstein Endowed Chair in University Management in memory of his mother, as well as a professorship in African Studies and a number of student scholarship funds, including those focused on first-generation college students.
Perhaps most impressive of all, Bernstein, an attorney who specialized in taxation and corporate banking, taught business law gratis as an adjunct professor in UNO's Department of Management for 22 years after retiring from the practice of law.
Dr. Kathy Johnson, president of UNO, quoted Winston Churchill in her remarks: “‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’’ She continued, “Henry Bernstein’s generous gift could not be more emblematic of this principle.”
Henry Bernstein watches as Gary Solomon and Dr. Pam Kennett-Hensel, dean of the Henry Bernstein College of Business Administratio, unveil the name plaque at the April 9, 2024 naming ceremony. Photo courtesy of UNO
Gary Solomon Sr., UNO alumnus and co-chair of the capital campaign cabinet, described Bernstein's commitment to UNO as "very special," noting that "His gifts to the University and, specifically, the College of Business Administration are unbelievably generous."
Solomon added, "I have known Henry for years, and I can honestly say that he is the most caring and genuine man I have ever known."
Dr. Kathy Johnson, president of UNO, Henry Bernstein and Gary Solomon Sr. at the April 9, 2024 naming ceremony. Photo courtesy of UNO
At the April 9 celebration of his devotion to the University of New Orleans, Bernstein modestly described himself as just one of many others who are striving to assist UNO in difficult times. He noted that state support for the university has declined from about 70% to about 30% today and that only with the contributions of its graduates and friends can UNO continue its core mission of offering a quality education to those who might not otherwise have the chance to attend college.
Bernstein also said that his years of teaching at UNO gave him "a greater awareness of and appreciation for the quality, diversity, and strength of the student body of the University of New Orleans."
Although Bernstein is not a native of New Orleans, he has spent most of his life here. He was raised in Uptown New Orleans, attended Lusher and McMain Schools, then high school at Newman and college at Tulane. Except for a stint in New York, where he studied at NYU Law School, he has resided in the Crescent City, where he practiced law and became a partner at the highly respected Milling, Benson & Woodward law firm.
He moved to the French Quarter in 1990, when he met the love of his life, Jerry Walker Zachary, at the volleyball court in Cabrini Park. Bernstein and Zachary became active participants and generous supporters of many French Quarter cultural and civic associations, from the New Orleans Gay Men's Chorus, which Zachary founded in 1981, to the Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents, and Associates.
Henry and Jerry were together for 27 years, until Jerry's death as a result of a tragic accident in February 2018. The two men shared a passionate interest in music and theater, although Henry once quipped that he may have exaggerated his enthusiasm for opera when they first met, "an exaggeration I have paid for by attending more opera performances than I ever intended to do."
Henry Bernstein at home in the Quarter, with a portrait of longtime partner, Jerry Walker Zachary. Photo by Ellis Anderson
The couple’s love of music found expression in their philanthropy, including major gifts to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Opera Association, and Le Petit Théâtre, among many others.
Henry has observed that the French Quarter provides many opportunities to support worthy causes, citing such institutions as the Historic New Orleans Collection, the VCC Foundation, Cops 8, Friends of the Cabildo, Louisiana Museum Foundation, Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré, and the BK Historic House and Gardens.
A notably modest man, Henry Bernstein is uncomfortable in the spotlight, yet he has earned a wide reputation for his kindness and his readiness to help others. His generous support of the educational, cultural, and civic institutions of New Orleans has made a significant difference in the city – and in the Vieux Carré.
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