J. Norman Heard was a native of Austin, Texas and a resident of Lafayette from 1969 until his death. He was married to Joyce Boudreaux and they had three children.

Dr. Heard was a librarian at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) until 1981. After his retirement, he concentrated on civic work and writing, authoring such books as Handbook of the American Frontier: Four Centuries of Indian-White Relationships, White Into Red: A Study of the Assimilation of White Persons Captured by Indians, and The Black Frontiersman: Adventures of Negroes Among American Indians, 1528-1918. He also wrote many historical articles.

Dr. Heard was also actively involved in the Alleman Center, Vision Lafayette, Acadian Village, and Civitan International. He served on many committees, including the Civitan International Special Olympics Committee. Helping people with intellectual disabilities was especially important to him. In 1976, he received the President’s Cup for Distinguished Service from the Louisiana Association for Retarded Citizens for his outstanding service. In 1977 he represented Louisiana at the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals in Washington.