Dr. Levon Aldon LeBan was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is a graduate of the public school system. He completed undergraduate studies at Southern University and A&M College and Southern University at New Orleans, earning a BS and BA degree, respectively. He earned a Master of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University of Texas; a Master of Social Work degree from Southern University at New Orleans; along with a Master of Divinity from Bethel Bible College. He also earned a Doctor of Theology degree from the American College and Theological Seminary. He received a Doctor of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry, honoris causa. He completed additional studies at the University of New Orleans, and the University of Maryland, College Park. While at Maryland, he participated with the U.S. Agency for International Development to study socio-economic systems in Puerto Rico, USA. Twice selected as a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. LeBan studied in the countries of Zimbabwe in 1995 and the Republic of South Africa in 2000. His travels in Africa included Swaziland, Zambia, and Mozambique.
In 1979, he was employed as a Researcher by Texas A&M University in Waller County. He served over twenty years with Orleans Parish Schools and was elected “Teacher of the Year” at Washington High, Cohen High, and Walker Middle Schools. He also taught at San Jacinto College (TX), the University of Maryland, and Tulane University Graduate School of Social Work. As a member of the American Association of Suicidology, Dr. LeBan supervised the crisis hotline for the Volunteer and Information Agency for several years then founded the Crisis Institute of Mediation, Intervention & Training – a 501-c3 nonprofit organization. He has written journal articles and numerous papers; many were featured in the “Africa Rising” section of the Louisiana Weekly. Dr. LeBan also published: “Masonic Silk Stocking – History of a Louisiana Lodge;” and, “History of the New Orleans Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.” He serves as the Historian for the Southwestern Province of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, covering New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. He currently serves as District 1 (Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes) Louisiana Retired Teachers Association President.
As a citizen soldier, Dr. LeBan served five years in the United States Army. In 1986, he was selected as “Soldier of the Year” for the 122nd Army Reserve Command (Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas). He served several years as an instructor with the 4152nd USAR School and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal with Four Oak-leaf Clusters. He served as the first African American President of the Alliance for Good Government, Orleans Chapter.
In 1983, he was licensed and ordained as a minister of the gospel and served seven years as Senior Pastor of “Walk in the Light” Interdenominational Church and three years as Associate Pastor of Jesus Never Fails Ministry of New Orleans. He is the first African American to serve as the Disaster Spiritual Care Louisiana Regional Lead for the American Red Cross. Dr. LeBan also serves as a Chaplain with the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Department and is a former General Secretary of the Universal Missionary Baptist Association. Member, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee and the National Disaster Spiritual Care Leadership Cadre.
A life member of the NAACP since 1979, he has held various offices at the local and state levels and was thrice elected the Louisiana State Conference Vice President. Dr. LeBan serves as the 4th elected President of the New Orleans Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) – the oldest affiliate of SCLC in the nation. In 2019, the SCLC New Orleans Chapter was selected as the International SCLC Chapter of the Year (https://sclcnola.org).
Publications / Articles
- LeBan, L.A. (2024). New Orleans Gift of Music to Modern Civil Rights. Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine/King 2024 Issue, p15-16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2023). Memorials to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine/Spring 2023 Issue, p24-26.
- LeBan, L.A. (2022). Keeping history intact. Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine/Spring 2022 Issue, p41-42.
- LeBan, L.A. (2022). History of the Southwestern Province, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas, Second Edition.
- LeBan, L.A. (2021). Dr. King Birthday Issue). The “SCLC – New Orleans” Connection. Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine, Vol. 50, Number 3, p26-31.
- LeBan, L.A. (2020). Dr. King Birthday Issue. SCLC New Orleans Chapter – At the Cross. Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine, Vol. 49, Number 1, p18-19.
- LeBan, L.A. (2019). The Martin Luther King Jr. 90th Birthday Issue). Cathelean Steele Keynotes SCLC New Orleans Chapter First Annual Symposium on Human Trafficking, Southern Christian Leadership Conference National Magazine, Vol. 48, Number 1, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2015, Summer/Spring). A Brief History of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, Vol. C1, Issue 1, p99.
- LeBan, L.A. (2015, Summer/Spring). Historically Black Colleges and Universities in New Orleans. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, Vol. C1, Issue 1, p109.
- LeBan, L.A. (2015, Summer/Spring). New Orleans Alumni Chapter Salutes Its Sixty-year Members. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, Vol. C1, Issue 1, p127.
- LeBan, L.A. (2015, Summer/Spring). A Story of Two Kings. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, Vol. C1, Issue 1 p1137.
- LeBan, L.A. (2015, Summer/Spring). A Brief History of the New Orleans Alumni Chapter. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, Vol. C1, Issue 1, p99.
- LeBan, L.A. (2013). NAACP New Orleans Branch. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAACP_New_Orleans_Branch.
- LeBan, L. (2011). The New Orleans NAACP branch installs new officers). The Louisiana Weekly. New Orleans, LA. Vol. LXXXV, No. 21, February 7, p8.
- LeBan, L.A. (2006, December). History of the New Orleans alumni chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. I.S.B.N. 1-4276-0938-1.
- LeBan, L.A. (2005, December). Hurricane Katrina: A New Orleanian’s perspective. The Journal of Kappa Alpha Psi, 313(314).
- LeBan, L.A. (2005, April 4). African American Guinea pigs: officially sanctioned experiments [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2004, July 12). Struggling to celebrate Independence Day. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2004, July 5). Struggling to celebrate Independence Day [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2004, April 11). African American Guinea pigs: Officially sanctioned experiments [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, December 29). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. Part III [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, December 22). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2C.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, December 15). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, November 17). Cultural genocide of the Khoi and San people of Southern Africa. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p6B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, November 10). The Mbuti people: in harmony with nature. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p6B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, August 25). The African union: a new organization of African unity. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p. 16B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, August 18). Liberia: a historic view of the land of the free. Part III [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.. (2003, August 11). Liberia: a historic view of the land of the free. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p15A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, August 5). Liberia: a historic view of the land of the free. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, July 28). Bottom of the 19th century: the Negro baseball league. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, July 22). Bottom of the 19th century: the Negro baseball league. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, July 13). Beyond acreage and livestock: historical perspectives of reparations. Part III [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, July 7). Beyond acreage and livestock: historical perspectives of reparations. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, June 30). Beyond acreage and livestock: historical perspectives of reparations. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, June 23). African American freedom songs: a message in the music. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p15A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, March 31). Democracy on trial: African Americans and Vietnam. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, January 25). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. Part III (Reprint) [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, January 19). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. Part II (Reprint) [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2003, January 13). From Arawak to Creole: African Haitian diaspora. (Reprint) [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, September 2). Kappas plan voter education and registration drive. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p1B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, June 24). Democracy on trial: African Americans and Vietnam [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, June 17). Struggling to celebrate Independence Day. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, June 10). Struggling to celebrate Independence Day. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, June 3). One God, one aim, one destiny: the nation of Islam. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, May 27). One God, one aim, one destiny: the nation of Islam. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, April 29). Taking science to higher heights: African American astronauts. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, April 22). Taking science to higher heights: African American astronauts. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, April 8). Metamorphosis of African American names. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p4B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, April 1). Piney Woods: An African American boarding school tradition. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, March 25). Selecting and attending a historically black college or university. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, March 18). Selecting and attending a historically black college or university. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, March 11). A history of African American Greek-lettered organizations. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, February 25). Lynching: 18th-century practices – 21st-century applications. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, February 18). Carnival clubs with 19th-century influences. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, February 4). African American freedom fighters: lest we forget. Part III [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, January 28). African American freedom fighters: lest we forget. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2002, January 20). African American freedom fighters: lest we forget. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, November 5). Shona and Ndebele: migrating to the house of stone. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, October 29). The advent of Islam in Africa: a seventh-century tradition. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, August 27). The new independent Swaziland – breaking the cycle of poverty? [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p10A.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, August 20). The Zimbabwe land controversy: reform, redistribution, and redevelopment. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p2B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, August 13). The Zimbabwe land controversy: reform, redistribution, and redevelopment. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p14B.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, June 17). The proliferation of psychological oppression: in whose interest? [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p20.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, June 11). In search of ‘roots’: African American genealogy. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p18.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, April 2). African American organizations: before the Greeks. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, March 26). African American organizations: before the Greeks. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p18.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, February 19). The psychosocial cost of a racist educational system. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, January 29). Contrasting port cities in the American Deep South and South Africa. Part II. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2001, January 22). Contrasting port cities in the American Deep South and South Africa. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2000, September 4). South African apartheid educational system and the American Deep South. Part II [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p16.
- LeBan, L.A. (2000, August 28). South African apartheid educational system and the American Deep South. [Africa Rising Series]. The Louisiana Weekly, p12.
- LeBan, L.A. (1998, Summer). Agency coordinators of volunteers: enhancing partnerships between the agency and the community. NNSWM Social Work Executive, 3.
- LeBan, L.A. (1997, Fall). Knowledge of available social services impacts juvenile delinquency in New Orleans. Black Caucus: Journal of the NABSW, 7(12).
- LeBan, L.A. (1997, Fall). Considerations in delegating responsibilities to social work interns and volunteers. NNSWM Social Work Executive, 5.
- LeBan, L.A. (1996, May). COPELine releases preliminary statistical analysis of gambling-related calls. NASW Louisiana Chapter News.
- LeBan, L.A. (1995, Fall). Students with guns: are your children targets? NASW Louisiana Chapter News.
- LeBan, L.A. (1989). Masonic silk stocking: History of a Louisiana lodge. New Orleans Education Committee, Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana.