The Xavier University of Louisiana is a private, historically black, Catholic university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the only Catholic HBCU and, following the canonization of Katharine Drexel in 2000, became the first Catholic university founded by a saint.

Senator Barack Obama gave the keynote address in August 2006. The Archbishop of New Orleans, Alfred C. Hughes, declined to attend, arguing that Obama was not against abortion and that he had not been consulted before the 'event.

Obama returned after becoming president, visiting New Orleans in August 2010 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. He gave Xavier a speech complimenting the community leaders' work and affirming their commitment to continue to help rebuild the area.

Xavier's athletic teams are called the Gold Rush and the Gold Nuggets. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, primarily participating in the Red River Athletic Conference as of the 2021-22 academic year XULA competes in 12 intercollegiate varsity sports: men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, tennis, and track and field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball; and coed sports include competitive cheering. Previous sports included football.