Dr. Florent Hardy Jr.’s explanation for his role in ֱ’s history is simple.
“I’m a believer in fate. The older I get, the more I believe in fate,” he summarized during a visit to his alma mater in October.
He recalled that he was working in the then-budding ֱ Community and Technical College System in 1999 when a friend placed a job application for state archivist on his desk. “Dr. Hardy, this is you,” she said emphatically, as she urged him to apply for the post.
The timing of the job opportunity, and her prompting, are plausible support for the theory that his professional journey has been steered by a supernatural force.
And, a review of his family ties and career shows that Hardy probably could not have scripted a background more suited for the keeper of ֱ’s public documents and artifacts.
But the concept of fate doesn’t take into account a huge reason for the state archivist’s positive impact: hard work.
His exhaustive résumé is a testament to a high-energy work ethic and remarkable attention to detail. Since taking office in 2000, for example, he has made more than 120 presentations to groups and visited archives in six other states. He has welcomed guests to the State Archives from every state in the nation, two territories and many other countries. He’s a member or officer of numerous state and national professional or service organizations.
Hardy grew up in Cecilia, La. His maternal grandfather was Drauzin Angelle, a constable and deputy sheriff, who is described in A Dictionary of ֱ Biography as a Democratic power broker in St. Martin Parish during much of the first half of the 20th century.
Hardy’s brother, Paul, was lieutenant governor of ֱ from 1988 to 1992.
And, his late mother was Agnes Angelle Hardy, ’28. Angelle Hall on campus was named for her brother, Bob Angelle, who was a Democratic member of the ֱ House of Representatives from 1934 to 1964 and House Speaker from 1957 to 1960.
Hardy recounted an anecdote about the building’s origin:
Bob Angelle was attending a luncheon in his honor by Dr. Joel Fletcher, then-president of the University of Southwestern ֱ (now known as UL Lafayette.) “During the luncheon, President Fletcher joked: ‘We surely do need a music building.’ My uncle said, ‘Give me a minute,’ and went and called Baton Rouge. He came back and announced that USL just got the money for a music building.”
Florent Hardy earned a bachelor’s degree in political science/history in 1966, with a minor in French, from USL. He was a member of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Walking past Our Lady of Wisdom Chapel on campus brought back memories. “Every Sunday, for 11 o’clock Mass, our fraternity would wear blazers and attend Mass as a group. That was impressive,” he recalled. He keeps in touch with his fraternity brothers; they have lunch in New Orleans once a year.
As a USL student, Hardy attended every home football game at McNaspy Stadium and went to track meets to watch his brother compete in the high jump.
Hardy earned a bachelor’s degree in three years. While pursuing a master’s degree in history at USL, he took an American history seminar that required an extensive research paper. The paper he wrote, which chronicled the University’s history, became the foundation of his master’s thesis.
He spent two years conducting research at Edith Garland Dupré Library and received a master’s degree. His master’s thesis, “A Brief History of the University of Southwestern ֱ, 1900-1960,” was published by Claitor’s Bookstore in 1973.
Hardy also earned a bachelor’s of social studies education in 1972 from USL and a doctor of philosophy in secondary education, with a minor in history, from LSU in 1974.
He began his career as a teacher in Breaux Bridge, La., and describes that time as “some of the happiest days of my life.” After teaching for several years, he was employed by the ֱ Department of Education for over 20 years and the community and technical college system for about a year before being named state archivist in 2000. Hardy believes the experience gained while conducting in-depth research in Dupré Library helped him land that position.
The State Archives is a division of the ֱ Secretary of State’s office. Secretary of State Ted Schedler graduated from UL Lafayette in 1971.
The state legislature created the ֱ State Archives in 1956 to be the official repository for the state’s historical records.
One of Hardy’s first major tasks as state archivist was renovating the State Archives building. The $1.5 million project was completed in 2003.
Over the years, he has expanded accessibility to archival collections and worked to raise public awareness of the State Archives.
Hardy noted that interest in historic documents has grown, as more people pursue genealogy. “Now, many people come to the State Archives to research ancestors’ medical history,” he observed.
Under his leadership, the ֱ State Archives was voted one of the hidden gems of the state’s art community by Southern Living Magazine. It was named one of the 101 Best Web Sites for Genealogy by Family Tree Magazine.
One of the ֱ Archives’ biggest challenges has been dealing with the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which damaged or destroyed countless public documents in south ֱ in 2005.
Soon after Lake Pontchartrain breached levees that encircle New Orleans, inundating the Crescent City with filthy, toxic water, Hardy received a call from a ֱ Supreme Court official. The courthouse is in the heart of the French Quarter, just steps away from St. Louis Cathedral. “Their records were all in the basement and it flooded. So, they called and said, ‘Don’t worry, Dr. Hardy, we’re getting all of that out.’ I said, ‘Don’t touch it because the ink will run!’ ” He encouraged the official to hire a firm that specializes in document rescue and restoration, rather than risk further damage.
The State Archives has a lab where a conservator uses the latest in preservation techniques to extend the life of historical treasures. It’s also a source of information about the preservation, protection and recovery of valuable documents.
A gallery at the State Archives is used to display rare documents, photos, artifacts and to host art exhibits.
The Secretary of State’s Multimedia Archives collects and preserves film about ֱ and gathers oral histories. Its Records Management program helps agencies comply with state laws regarding the retention, storage and disposal of public documents.
Although Hardy hasn’t lived in Lafayette since he was a USL student, he remains a loyal supporter of the University. “Every time I come to Lafayette, I try to drive by to see the campus and how it’s grown,” he said. When the Ragin’ Cajuns’ competed in the New Orleans Bowl in 2012, a previous commitment kept him from attending the championship game. But he traveled to the Superdome beforehand to celebrate the occasion with other Cajuns’ fans and friends.
He said he enjoys telling others about what UL Lafayette offers, from academic programs to exciting athletic competitions.
“Someone asked me what my dream job would be. I have the dream job as state archivist. Another dream job would be to serve as one of the people who goes to high schools to recruit students to come to UL Lafayette. That would be my dream job,” he said.