Former mass communication professor Jules “Tee-Jules” d’Hemecourt died Thursday after being sent to the hospital for an illness. He was 64. D’Hemecourt started as an assistant professor in the Manship School of Mass Communication in August 1976. He remained a professor until his retirement in 2001 but taught part time until 2004. D’Hemecourt received his bachelor’s degree in history and pre-law at the University in 1965, and graduated from the University Law School in 1967. He received his master of arts in 1969 at Columbia University. D’Hemecourt attended Greenwich University and received his doctorate in 1991. Ronald Garay, mass communication professor, said d’Hemecourt served on the media board committee during his tenure. The committee oversees Student Media – The Daily Reveille, KLSU and TigerTV. Garay said d’Hemecourt was an “authority” on paper currency from the Civil War era. He said d’Hemecourt curated an exhibit at the Hill Memorial Library displaying pieces from his personal collection. Laura Lindsay, mass communication professor, said d’Hemecourt was “quite the raconteur.” “Had he chosen to do it professionally, he would probably have been a good performer,” Garay said. “He had kind of a flare for that.” D’Hemecourt was famous for his use of a Cajun dialect. He recorded Cajun versions of the Christmas tales “Night Before Christmas” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” In 2004, d’Hemecourt read the “Cajun Night Before Christmas” with a thick Cajun accent to people at the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. D’Hemecourt performed the song “Louisiana Boys” in a 1992 documentary titled “Louisiana Boys: Raised on Politics.” The film is about Louisiana’s political history. “He was very entertaining,” Garay said.
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