The JBHE Foundation

The Nation's Highest-Ranked Colleges and Universities Name Some of Their Distinguished
Black Alumni
Source: The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 40 (Summer, 2003), pp. 106-118
Published by: The JBHE Foundation
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3134062
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 The Nation's Highest-RankedCollegesand Universities
Name Some of Their DistinguishedBlack Alumni

OME OF THE nation'smost prestigiouscolleges five nominees,andfortheseschoolsJBHEeditorsparedthe

and universitieshave been graduatingblack For the schools
list to includejust five individuals.
studentsfor as long as 180 years.But until ^that submittedmorethanfivenames,alumniwhose
thelate1960sandearly1970smostof thenation's majoraccomplishments werein athleticsorenter-
highest-ranked collegesanduniversitiesenrolled tainmentwerethemostlikelyto be eliminated.
very few blackstudents. Nevertheless,at the cur- Here we presenta selectionof distinguished
renttime, all of the nation'selite institutionsof blackalumniof the nation'shighest-ranked col-
higher educationhave amassed an admirable record leges anduniversities.The alumni arelistedunder
of graduatinga diversegroupof African-American thenamesof theeducational in alphabet-
institutions,
students.Each of these prestigiouscolleges and uni- Brown Universit's ical order.The year the black alumnusgraduated
versitieshas a numberof distinguishedAfrican- InmanPage fromtheinstitution is listedin parentheses imme-
Americanalumniwhohavegoneon to makea mark diatelyafterthe alumnus' name.
in theworld.
JBHEaskedthe nation's25 highest-ranked universities A Small Samplingof DistinguishedBlack Alumni of
and25 highest-ranked liberalartscollegesto provideinfor- the Nation's Highest-RankedUniversities
mationon up to five blackalumniwho earneddegreesat BrownUniversity
theirinstitutionsandwenton to makesignificantcontribu- *SpencerCrew(1971)is theexecutivedirector
tionsto society.Weemphasized thatthiswasnotanattempt andCEOof theNational Underground Railroad
to rankblackalumnion relativeimportancebut ratherto Freedom Centerin Cincinnati. He is theformer
give an indicationof the richhistoryof African-American directorof theSmithsonian Institution's
National
attheseinstitutions.Of these50 high-rankingcol- Museum of American History.
graduates *GaylJones(Ph.D.,1975)is theauthorof fournovels,a col-
leges and Columbia
universities, University,Claremont
lectionof shortstories,andseveralvolumesof poetry.In 1998
McKennaCollege,andVassarCollegedeclinedto partici- JonespublishedTheHealing,a novel thatwas a finalistfor the
patein oursurvey. NationalBookAward.
Some colleges and universitiesofferedfewer than five *SamuelM. Nabrit(Ph.D.,1932)wasa professor atAtlanta
selections.Othereducational institutions
offeredmorethan University andlaterwas namedpresident of TexasSouthern
m
University in Houston.He alsowasa memberof theAtomic
CAUTION: Energy Commission andfoundedboththe Southern Fellow-
shipFundandUpwardBound,organizations thatfosteraca-
Selectionsof blackalumniappearingherewerepro- demicadvancement amongAfricanAmericans.
videdby the collegesanduniversitiesat whichthey * InmanPage (1877)was Brown'sfirstAfrican-American
werestudents.ThechoiceswerenotselectedbyJBHE. graduate.Pageescapedslaveryas a 10-year-old houseboy dur-
And in no respectare the selectionsintendedto be ingtheCivilWar.He wentnorth,andendedupbeingelected
comprehensive or rankedin anyway. classoratorat Brownforthe 1877Commencement. Pagebe-
Obviously,thereareprominentblackalumniat all camea teacheranda schoolprincipal.
colleges and universitieswho are not mentionedin * Wallace Terry (1959), a formerreporterat Timeand The
thissurvey. Washington Post, was best knownfor his eyewitnessaccounts
Listingsareintendedsimplyto conveytherichhis- of thecivilrightsmovement andtheVietnamWar.He wasa
toryof African-American graduates of ourmostpres- author, radioandtelevisioncommen-
prize-winning journalist,
tigiouseducationalinstitutions. tator,producer,andpublicspeaker. (Seep. 63 of thisissue.)
1 1
m

106 2003
SUMMER
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGESAND UNIVERSITIES
CaliforniaInstituteof Technology
Edray H. Goins (1994) is the Taussky-Todd
instructorof mathematicsat CalTech.
z *Adrian Hightower (1995) is the CEO of
EnhancedEnergySystems,Inc., an engineer-
~ ing firm focused on making "green energy"
profitable.
*Jack P1rater(1991) is a physicistspecializingin deep-space
telecommu nications.He currentlyworkson ground-basedan-
tennasyste:ms supportinga varietyof planetaryexploringmis-
sions.
* JosephI Rhodes (1969) was a state representativefrom
Pennsylvamnia. Following graduationfrom CalTech,Rhodes
was placecIon RichardNixon'sPresidentialCommissionto
studycam]pusunrest.
* Perry Walker(1982), a chemicalengineer,is the
plantman;iger at DuPont'sNiagaraFalls facility.He
has been vvithDuPontfor 20 years.
CarnegieMellon University
Erroll B. Davis Jr. (1965) is the pres-
ident, chairman,and CEO of Alliant
Energy,a holdingcompanyof regulated
utilityprovidersthathas morethan 3 Dartmouth
millioncustomers.Davis serveson the ErnestJust
boardof directorsfor severalcompanies
includingIBPAmoco andEdisonElectricInstitute.
* Oscar L. Harris Jr. (1971) is the principaland owner of
TurnerAssociates,an architectural and interiorplanningfirm
thatfocuseson transportation, education,urbanredevelopment,
andcorrectionalfacilities.
* Larry E. Jennings Jr. (1984) is chairmanof Carnegie
Morganand seniormanagingdirectorof TouchstonePartners.
Priorto formingCarnegieMorgan,Jenningsspentmore than
seven years as an investmentbankerat Legg Mason Wood
Walker,Inc.
*Patricia Prattis Jennings (1962),a pianist,madeherdebut
at the age of 14 with the PittsburghSymphony.She has been a
memberof this group since 1964, performingat the piano,
organ,harpsichord, andcelesta.
* Candace Matthews (1981) is the presidentof Soft Sheen/
Carson,one of the world'sleadingmakersof ethnichaircare
andbeautyproducts.Soft Sheen/Carson is a divisionof L'Oreal
ConsumerProducts.
Cornell University
* Jessie Redmond Fauset (1905)
was a pivotalfigureof the Harlem
Renaissance.Under the editorship
of W.E.B. Du Bois, from 1919 to
1926 Fausetwas literaryeditorof TheCrisis,the officialpubli-
cation of the NationalAssociationfor the Advancementof
SUMMER2003
ColoredPeople. Her books include ThereIs Confusion,The
ChinaberryTree,and Comedy:AmericanStyle.
* Jerome Holland (1939) was presidentof DelawareState
University and Hampton University in Virginia. In 1970
PresidentRichardNixon namedhim ambassadorto Sweden.
He was the firstAfricanAmericanto serveon the boardof the
New YorkStock Exchangeand was namedchairmanof the
NationalRed Crossby PresidentJimmyCarter.
*TomJones (1969) servedas topexecutiveforTIAA-CREF,
the world'slargestpensionfund,from 1989 to 1997.He is cur-
rently the chair and CEO of Citigroup'sSSB Citi Asset
ManagementGroup,one of thelargestassetmanagementfirms
in the world.
MargaretMorgan Lawrence(1936)is a pediatricpsy-
chiatristat Columbia Medical School and Harlem
Hospital.She foundedthe hospital'sDevelopmental
PsychiatryClinic. She is the authorof The Mental
Health Teamin the Schools and YoungInner City
Families. Her daughter,Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot,
educationprofessoratHarvard, haswrittenhermoth-
er'sbiography: Balmin Gilead:Journalof a Healer
? Samuel R. Pierce Jr. (1947) was the only black
memberof PresidentRonaldReagan'scabinetas secretary
College's of housingandurbandevelopment. In 1960hebecame
the firstblackpartnerin a majorNew YorkCity law
finn. Later,in 1964,he was the firstblackto join the
boardof a majorAmericancorporation: U.S. Industries.
Dartmouth College
* Ernest E. Just (1907) was a biologistwho was
one of the mostimportantandinfluentialblacksci-
entistsin history.Just,a zoologist,biologist,phys-
iologist, and researchscientist,conductedexperi-
ments on fertilizationand embryonicdevelop-
ment.In 1997the U.S. PostalServiceissueda commemorative
stamphonoringJust.
* H. Carl McCall (1958) was the New YorkStatecomptrol-
ler from 1993 to 2003. He also heldthe positionsof New York
Statesenator,U.S. ambassador to theUnitedNations,president
of theNew YorkCityBoardof Education,commissionerof the
PortAuthorityof New YorkandNew Jersey,andcommission-
er of the New YorkStateDivisionof HumanRights.
*Aisha Tyler(1992) is a talk-showhost andactress.She was
the firstfemalehost of TalkSoupon the cable/satellitechannel
E! and has recently had a recurringrole on the TV show
Friendsas a paleontologistnamedCharlie.She appearedin the
film Santa Clause 2 and has a role in the forthcomingfilm
NeverDie Alone.
* Reggie Williams (1976) is a formerpro footballstar,play-
ing 14 seasons with the CincinnatiBengals, which included
two tripsto the SuperBowl. He is now vice presidentof Disney
SportsAttractions.
107
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
Duke University
* Frank Emory (1979) is a partnerin the Charlott
te,
North Carolina,law firm Robinson,Bradshaw&
Hinson. He was a studentbody presidentat Dulke
Universityand a two-time appointeeto the state
boardof transportation.
*Grant Hill (1994),a five-timeNBA All-Star,is now playirng
for the OrlandoMagic.At Dukehe helpedthe men'sbasketba all
team win back-to-backNCAA Championshipsin 1991 arnd
1992.
*ClarenceG. Newsome (1972) is the new presidentof Shaw
University.He had servedas dean of the HowardUniversii ty
Schoolof DivinityinWashington.He was thefirstblackstude] nt
to give a Dukecommencementaddress.
* Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke (1967) is a law professorat
SyracuseUniversity.She previouslywas on the facultyof tihe
GeorgetownUniversityLaw Center,whereshe was an assoc:i-
ate directorof the GeorgetownInstitutefor PublicRepresent;a-
tion.
*Jim Wilson (1974) was recentlynamedpictureeditorat
The New YorkTimes.This is the top photojob at the
newspaper.
Emory University
*JamesO'Neal (1979) is cofounderand
directorof Legal Outreach,an organiza-
tion in Harlemthat aims to teachjunior
high school studentsaboutlegal issues to help them
improvethe qualityof life in theircommunities.
HarviardUniversity's * Franklin D. Raines (1971) is chairmanandCEO
GeorgetownUniversity w.E.B.Du Bois
*RonaldE. Blaylock (1982) is president
and CEO of Blaylock & Partners,an investmer nt
bankingfirm.Since 1998 BlackEnterprisemagza-
zine has repeatedlyrankedBlaylock& Partnersas
the leadingminority-owned WallStreetfirm.
* Lloyd Campbell (1979) is a managingdirectorand grouip
headof privateplacementsat RothschildInc. He also workstto
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universitiesat which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominentblack alumni at all
colleges and universities who are not mentioned in
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
108
bring classroom skills and confidence to New York kids
throughPrideFirst,a nonprofitcorporationhe cofoundedin
1986.Since 1996 PrideFirsthas focusedits effortson training
New YorkCity publicschool teachers.
* Cheryl Cooper (1978) is the executive directorof the
NationalCouncilof NegroWomen,Inc.andtheformerchiefof
staffof theAmericanAssociationof RetiredPersons.
* Stacey Steed (1985) was recently named presidentand
CEOof the FannieMae Foundation.
* Michael Todman (1979) is the executivevice presidentof
WhirlpoolEuropeand the formerexecutivevice presidentfor
Whirlpool'sNorthAmericaregion.
Harvard College
* W.E.B.Du Bois (1890), a sociologist,activist,
3 andintellectual,was the firstAfricanAmerican
' W / to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard.He became
": involved with the NAACP shortly after its
^-- foundingand edited The Crisis, the organiza-
tion'smonthlynewsletter,for almost24 years.
* Roger W. Ferguson Jr. (1973) is vice chairmanof
rthe ~ Boardof Governorsof the FederalReserve.
I_^1
* Alphonse Fletcher (1987) is chairmanand CEO
of FletcherAssetManagementInc.In 1999Ernstand
Youngnamedhim an "Entrepreneur of theYear."
*PamelaThomas-Graham(1985) is thepresident
andCEOof theCNBCtelevisionnetwork.She is list-
L_^ ^ eedas one of the 50 most powerfulblackexecutivesby
Fortunemagazine(July2002).
of Fannie Mae.He was the first black CEO of a
Fortune500 company.Rainesis the formerdirectorof
the Office of Managementand Budget during the Clinton
administration.
Johns Hopkins University
* Ernest A. Bates (1958), a
neurosurgeon,is the chairman
and CEO of AmericanShared
HospitalServicesandG.K. Financingin San Francisco.
* Loren R. Douglas (1986) is the presidentof GE Global
Asset ProtectionServices, a subsidiaryof GeneralElectric's
EmployersReinsuranceCorp.
* Awadagin Pratt (1989) is a classical musician who is
knownfor his skill and risk-takingas a pianist.Prattwas the
firststudentin the historyof the university'sPeabodyConser-
vatoryto receiveperformer's certificatesin pianoandviolinand
a graduateperformancediplomain conducting.
* Michael Steele (1981) is the lieutenant governor of
Maryland,thefirstAfricanAmericanto holdthatposition.Prior
to his election,Steele was the chairmanof the MarylandRe-
publicanParty.
SUMMER2003
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGES
*Andre Watts (1972) is a world-renowned
pianistwho made
his debut with LeonardBernsteinwhen he was 16. Watts
appearson PBS andthe BBC andperformswiththe New York
Philharmonic,Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra,
Mostly MozartFestival Orchestra,and the ChamberMusic
Societyof LincolnCenter.
MassachusettsInstituteof Technology
* Harvey Gantt (1970) served two terms as
mayor of Charlotte,North Carolina.He made
two unsuccessfulattemptsto unseatU.S. Senator
^ Jesse Helms.He is now a partnerin an architec-
XBF
turalfirm.
* Shirley Ann Jackson (1968) is a theoreticalphysicistwho
now servesas presidentof RensselaerPolytechnicInstitute.She
previouslyservedas chairof theU.S. NuclearRegulatoryCom-
mission.
* Ronald E. McNair (1976) was the secondAfricanAmerican
to fly in space.He was killedin the Challengerdisasterin
1986.
NorthwesternUniversity
Clinton Bristow Jr. (1971) is the
presidentof Alcorn StateUniversity.
He has served in that position since
1995.
? Cardiss Collins (1967) servedfor 23
years as a congresswomanfrom Illinois.She
was electedin a specialelectionin 1973 afterherhus- PrincetonUniversity'sArchitectof the IBM Linux PerformanceTeam in
band,who hadheld the seat,diedin an airplanecrash. RandallKennedy Austin,Texas.
* Renetta McCann (1978) is the CEO of Starcom
NorthAmerica,one of the world'stop five mediaagencies.
* Ronald Riley (1971) is the presidingjudge of the Sixth
MunicipalDistrictof the CookCountyCircuitCourtin Illinois.
* Laura Washington (1978) is a columnistfor the Chicago
Sun-Timesandwas the formereditorof The ChicagoReporter
Earlyin hercareer,she was presssecretaryfor ChicagoMayor
HaroldWashington.
Princeton University
Brent L. Henry (1969) is vice presidentand
general counsel of PartnersHealthCare.Pre-
~A S viously he was seniorvice presidentand general
counsel for MedStarHealth.Henryis a member
of the boardof governorsof the NationalInstitutesof Health
ClinicalCenter,a trusteeof PrincetonUniversity,and a past
presidentof theAmericanHealthLawyer'sAssociation.
*Juanita T. James (1974) is vice presidentandgeneralman-
agerof PitneyBowes, Inc.ProfessionalServices.
* Henry H. Kennedy Jr. (1970) was appointedto the U.S.
districtcourtin 1997. He servedas an assistantUnited States
attorneyfor the Districtof Columbia,as UnitedStatesmagis-
SUMMER2003
AND UNIVERSITIES
trate,and associatejudge of the SuperiorCourtof the District
of Columbia.
* Randall L. Kennedy (1977) is a professorat HarvardLaw
School.His mostrecentbook is entitledInterracialIntimacies:
Sex, Marriage,Identity,andAdoption.He servedas law clerk
for SupremeCourtJusticeThurgoodMarshall.
* John W. Rogers Jr. (1980) is the chairmanand CEO of
ArielMutualFundsin Chicago.He serveson theboardsof sev-
eral corporationsincludingAon Corporationand Bank One
Corporation.
Rice University
Teveia Rose Bares (1975) recentlyleft the Bar
Associationof San Francisco,where she served as
executive directorand general counsel for several
years. She is returningto legal practiceto address
issues of socialjusticeandadvocacyfor the underserved.
* AlexanderByrd (1990) is an assistantprofessorof history
at Rice University.He receivedthe OralHistoryAssocia-
tion's inauguralawardfor an outstandingoral history
projectcalledBehindthe Veil:DocumentingAfrican-
AmericanLife in the Jim CrowSouth.
* Courtney Hall (1990) was a center in the
National Football League for the San Diego
Chargersand the DenverBroncos.He receivedhis
J.D. and MBA from the Universityof Chicagothis
pastJune.
* SandraJohnson (1988) is theLinuxPerformance
* Quentin Nixon (1997) is the engineerand pro-
ducerwho foundedNpire Soundof Atlantain 2002. He pro-
ducesmusicfor suchartistsas Alicia Keys andDotfiePeoples.
StanfordUniversity
fp__l n * Stephen L. Carter (1976) is William
kllJll~ Nelson Cromwell Professorof Law at
YaleUniversityandthe authorof numer-
ous books includingReflectionsof an Affirmative ActionBaby
andthe novel, TheEmperorof OceanPark.
* bell hooks (1973) is a feminist,writer,and Distinguished
Professorof Englishat City College of the City Universityof
New York.Among her recent publicationsare Communion:
TheFemaleSearchforLoveandRockMySoul:BlackFolkand
Self-Esteem.
*Mae Jemison (1977) was the firstblackfemaleastronautin
spaceon the shuttleEndeavorin 1992.Shefoundedandis pres-
identof two technologycompanies.
* William E. Kennard (1978) is the formerchairmanof the
FederalCommunicationsCommission.He is now managing
director in global telecommunicationsand media of The
CarlyleGroup,a privateequityfirm.
109
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
* CharlesJ. OgletreeJr. (1974) is JesseClimenkoProfessor
of Law at HarvardLaw School.Ogletreeservedas legal coun-
sel to ProfessorAnitaHill duringthe Senateconfirmation hear-
ings of JusticeClarenceThomas.ProfessorOgletreeis now
headinga legalteamseekingreparations for slaveryformillions
of AfricanAmericans.
Universityof Californiaat Berkeley
*Alien E. Broussard(1950) servedas a justiceof
l^Jw ^ the CaliforniaSupremeCourtfrom 1975to 1991.
a l Broussardwas known as the "practicalliberal"
duringhis tenureon the court.
*Kevin Johnson (1987), formerNBA All-Star,
playedmostof his careeras a pointguardforthePhoenixSuns.
He is the foundingdirectorof St. Hope Foundation,an organi-
zationthatprovidesfinancialassistancefor educationandrede-
velopmentprojects.
*TerryMcMillan (1977) is the best-sellingauthorof
Waitingto Exhale,How StellaGotHer GrooveBack,
Mama,andseveralothertitles.
*JohnathanRodgers(1967) was theformerpres-
identof the DiscoveryNetworkandCBS television.
He was recentlynamedpresidentandCEOof Radio
One, owner of 66 urbanstations,and Comcast,the
nation'slargestcablecompany.
Universityof Californiaat Los Angeles UCLA's
Bunche blackwomanto receivea Ph.D. from an Americanuni-
Ralph Bunche (1927), a scholar Ralph
and diplomat, was the first African
Americanto heada federaldepartment-
the Divisionof DependentAreaAffairs.Throughhis work in
establishingthe four armisticeagreementsthat stopped the
Arab-Israeli warin the late 1940s,Bunchewas the firstAfrican
Americanto receivethe Nobel PeacePrize.
* Yvonne BrathwaiteBurke (1953) was the firstwomanto
be elected to the U.S. Congressfrom Californiaand the first
AfricanAmericanto servein the Los AngelesCountyBoardof
Supervisors,a positionshe stillholds.
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universitiesat which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominent black alumni at all
colleges and universities who are not mentioned in
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
I
110
* Rafer Johnson (1959) is an Olympicdecathlonchampion.
In 1969JohnsonhelpedfoundtheCaliforniaSpecialOlympics.
*Jackie Joyner-Kersee(1986) is an Olympicmedalistin the
long jump and heptathlon.Joyner-Kerseeis also active with
severalcharities,includingthe Boys andGirlsClub.
* Marilyn McCoo Davis (1965) was one of the original
membersof the FifthDimension,a pop groupthatscoredsev-
eralhits such as Up, Up AndAwayandAquarius/LetTheSun
ShineIn. She has won eightGrammyAwards.
Universityof Chicago
* Katherine Dunham (1936) is a dancerand chore-
ographerbestknownas an influentialpioneerof black
danceand the anthropological dancemovement.She
is also a recipientof theAlbertSchweitzerMusicAward.
*Michelle Rachel Howard-Vital(1974) is the vice chancel-
lor forpublicserviceandcontinuingstudiesandassociate
provostfor academicaffairsat the Universityof North
Carolinaat Wilmington.
*Handy L. LindseyJr. (1975)is thepresidentand
treasurerof The Field Foundationof Illinois.The
organizationawardsgrantsto institutionsandagen-
_ cies operatingin the fields of urbanandcommunity
affairs,culture,education,communitywelfare,health,
andenvironmentthatprimarilyservethe peopleof the
Chicagometropolitan area.
. GeorgianaSimpson (1911) is believedto be the first
versity.She earnedherPh.D.in 1921.
Beauregard Stubblefield-Tave(1977) is the presidentof
the Stubblefield-Tave Group,a firm that consultson cultural
competenceanddiversity.Its clientsrangefrommanagedcare
companiesandcommunityhealthcentersto legalandfinancial
institutions.
Universityof Michigan
*GwendolynCalvertBaker (1964) is a nation-
B ally known educatorand activistwho is the
- s P 1 of CalvertBaker& Associates,an
~president
|HHffy ~educationalconsultingfirm specializingin
_SJSS ~globaleducation.Bakerhas heldthepositions
of directorof social justice for the American
EducationalResearch Association, president and CEO of
UNICEF,andnationalexecutivedirectorof theYWCA of the
USA.
* Keith Black (1978) is the directorof neurosurgeryat the
MaxineDunitzNeurosurgicalInstituteat Cedar-SinaiMedical
Centerin Los Angeles.Priorto joiningCedar-Sinai,Dr.Black
servedon the UCLA faculty for 10 years. He pioneeredre-
searchon designingways to deliverchemotherapy directlyinto
braintumors.
*Alexa Canady (1971) is the retiredchief of neurosurgery at
SUMMER2003
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES
theChildren'sHospitalof Michiganin Detroit.She was thefirst
femaleAfricanAmericanto be licensed as a neurosurgeonin
the UnitedStates.
* W. David Tarver (1975) holds severalhigh-tech,wireless
communications patents.He was cofounderandCEOof a lead-
ing wirelesstech supportcompany.Aftersellingthis business,
he becamea full-timeadvocatefor underservedchildrenin K-
12 public educationas founderand presidentof the Red
Bank Fducationand DevelopmentInitiativein New >
Jersey.
*Roger Wilkins (1953) is ClarenceJ. Robinson/
Professorof HistoryandAmericanCultureatGeorge
MasonUniversity.He is also a networkradiocom-
mentatorfor National Public Radio. During the
Johnsonadministration, Wilkins served as assistant
attorneygeneral. In a distinguishedjournalismcareer,
he has writtenfor both The New YorkTimesand The
WashingtonPost. While on the editorialpage staff of
the latter, he shared a Pulitzer Prize in 1972 for JohnE dgarWidemansylvania.
Watergatecoverage with Woodward,Bernstein,and
Herblock.Some of his books includeA Man'sLife (an autobi-
ography)andJefferson'sPillow:TheFoundingFathersand the
Dilemmaof BlackPatriotism
Universityof Notre Dame
* Jerome "Gary" Cooper (1958) was the first
African-Americanofficer in the MarineCorps to
lead an infantrycompanyinto combatwhile serv-
ing in Vietnam.He later served in the Alabama
House of Representativesand as the state'scom-
missionerfor the Departmentof HumanResources.He is cur-
rently the chairmanand CEO of CommonwealthNational
Bank,the firstminority-ownedbankin Alabama.
* Bill Hurd (1969) is a noted eye surgeonwith an ophthal-
in
mology practice Memphis, Tennessee. He also spends time
each year providingfree eye treatmentto the poor in Africa,
Mexico, and Brazil.Hurd has also releasedfour jazz albums.
* Alan Page (1967) was an All-Americandefensivelineman
with the 1966 Notre Dame nationalchampionshipteam who
thenwent on to play for the NFL'sMinnesotaVikingsandthe
Chicago Bears. Page also attended law school while playing
professional football and is now an associatejustice of the
MinnesotaSupremeCourt.
*Percy A. Pierre (1961) is a professorof electricalengineer-
ing at MichiganStateUniversity.In 1967 he earnedhis Ph.D.
in electricalengineeringat JohnsHopkinsUniversity,becom-
ing the firstAfricanAmericanto earna doctoratein the disci-
pline.
* Christine Swanson (1994) is the award-winningwriter-
directorof the featurefilm, All About You.She is also co-
founder,with her husbandMichael, of Faith Filmworks,a
movie productionanddistributioncompany.
SUMMER2003
Universityof Pennsylvania
Sadie T.M. Alexander (1918) was a lawyerand
championof civil rights. She was the first black
graduateof the Universityof Pennsylvania'slaw
school. After she graduated,she became the first
African-Americanwoman to practicelaw in the Common-
wealth of Pennsylvania,the first African-Americanwoman
elected presidentof the PhiladelphiaBar Association,and
the firstAfrican-American womanin the countryto re-
ceive a Ph.D.in economics.
: \X *Lorene Cary (1978) is the authorof severalnov-
els includingPride:A Novel, The Price of a Child,
' , andBlackIce. She was recentlynamedthe winner
_ / of this year'sPhiladelphiaAward,given annuallyto
a Philadelphiaresidentwho has done the most to
_ "advancethe best andlargestinterest"of the commu-
nity.She is currentlya seniorlecturerof creativewriting
Penn's in the Englishdepartmentof the Universityof Penn-
* Harold E. Ford Jr. (1992) is now servinghis
fourthtermas a DemocraticcongressmanfromTennessee.He
was firstelectedin 1966 at the age of 26.
* Susan Taylor (1979) is a nationallyrecognizeddermatolo-
gist. She is the directorof The Skin of Color Centerat St.
Luke's-RooseveltHospitalCenterin New Yorkwhere she is
also an attendingphysician.
*John Edgar Wideman(1963),an author,is the only person
to win the PEN/Faulkner Awardfor Fictiontwice - once in
1984forhis novelSentFor YouYesterday andagainin 1990for
PhiladelphiaFire.A formerRhodesscholar,Widemanis cur-
rentlya professorof EnglishattheUniversityof Massachusetts,
Amherst.
VanderbiltUniversity
_ * Sheryll D. Cashin (1984) is a professorof law
at GeorgetownUniversity,where she teaches
and writesaboutpolitics,government,and the
urban poor. She is currentlywriting a book
aboutraceandclass segregationin America.Dur-
ing the Clinton Cashinwas the staffdirectorfor
administration,
the CommunityEmpowermentBoardin the Officeof the Vice
President.
* David Maurice Chatman (1985) is a vascularsurgeonin
Murfreesboro.Tennessee.He recentlyserved as presidentof
theAssociationof Vanderbilt BlackAlumni.
* Charles Davis (1982) is the founderand owner of the
CharlesDavis Foundation,an organizationthatprovidesserv-
ices suchas tutoring,assistancewith schoolassignments,posi-
tive role models,resources,andopportunities for achievement
for Nashvilleyouth.Davis playedprofessionalbasketballwith
the ChicagoBulls, the MilwaukeeBucks,andthe Washington
Bulletsduringhis 12-yearNBA career.
11I
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
TennesseeStateUniversityin Nashville.Priorto this appoint-
ment,she was the university'swomen'sbasketballcoach.
* Perry Wallace Jr. (1970) is a professorat AmericanUni-
versity'sWashingtonCollegeof Law.He brokethe colorbarri-
er when he joined the university'sbasketballteam in the late
1960s.Wallacewas inductedinto the TennesseeSportsHall of
FamethispastJanuary.
Wake Forest University
*JocelynBurton (1980)is thedeputychiefof thecivil division
IAKE r e T Of the U.S. Attorney'sOffice in
wVAK gRE San Francisco.
* Bridget Chishohnlm (1986) is a
Memphisbusinesswomanwho owns a groupof restaurants and
is a partnerof the MosaicGroup.She is also the formerShelby
Countycommissioner.
* Tim Duncan (1997) is a five-timeNBA All-Starfor the
worldchampionSan AntonioSpurs.This past season he was
namedthe league'smost valuableplayerfor the secondyearin
a row.
* Frank Johnson (1981) is the head coach of the NBA
PhoenixSuns.He has beena memberof the team'scoaching
stafffor the past 10 years.
WashingtonUniversity
*Kenneth J. Cooper (1977) is the national editor of
The Boston Globe. He was the first
African-American nationalcorrespondent
of the Knight-Riddernewspapergroup,
covering major political stories includingthe 1988
presidentialcampaignof MichaelS. Dukakis.
* Frank S. Greene Jr. (1961) is a venturecapitalist, Yale
Unive?rsity's mayor
electronicstechnologist,andhigh-techbusinessexecu- KurrtSch,moke
tive.DuringservicewiththeAir Force,Greenehelped
develophigh-performance computersfor the NationalSecurity
Agency.
* Henry E. Hampton Jr. (1961) came to nationalattention
when he chronicledthe historyof the civil rightsmovementin
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universities at which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominentblack alumni at all
colleges and universities who are not mentioned in
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
112
the United Statesas producerof the acclaimedsix-partPBS
documentary, Eyes on the Prize:America'sCivilRightsYears,
1954-1965.
*ShelbyJordan (1974) was an offensivetacklefortheNFL's
New EnglandPatriots.He retiredin 1988andbecametheexec-
utive directorof CommunityResourceTalentDevelopment,
Inc., a programthatdevelopslow-incomehousingin conjunc-
tionwiththeLosAngelesCommunityRedevelopment Agency.
* Jonathan Weaver (1972) is presidentof The Collective
BankingGroup,whichlinksfive bankswith265 churches.The
organization has made$180 millionin loansto thechurchcom-
munity.
Yale University
* Ben Carson (1973) has been directorof the
Division of PediatricNeurosurgeryat Johns
Hopkins Universityin Baltimore,Maryland,
since 1984. Carsoncapturedworldwidemedia
'5JLrja~ attentionin 1987 for the successfulseparation
of conjoinedtwins who shareda portionof the
samebrain.
* Henry Louis Gates Jr. (1973) is the W.E.B.Du Bois
>, Professorof the Humanities,chairof theAfro-American
studies department,and directorof the W.E.B. Du
Bois Institutefor Afro-AmericanResearchat Har-
vard University.He will be spendingthe coming
academicyear as visitingprofessorat the Institute
ForAdvancedStudyin Princeton,New Jersey.
* Sheila Jackson Lee (1972) is servingher fourth
....N~rterm as a U.S. representative
fromTexas.
[TJ
* Kurt Schmoke (1971) served three terms as the
of Baltimore, from 1987 to 1999. He is cur-
rently dean of the law school at Howard University.
* Anthony A. Williams (1979) is servinghis sec-
ond termas the mayorof Washington,D.C.
A Small Sampling of Distinguished Black Alumni of
the Highest-Ranking Liberal Arts Colleges
Amherst College
* Charles Drew (1926) developedthe technique
for the long-termpreservationof blood plas-
ma.He set up thefirstbloodbanksat Colum-
bia Universityandin England.Drewbecame
head of HowardUniversity'sdepartmentof
surgery,as well as the chief of surgeryat
Freedmen'sHospital.
* Charles Hamilton Houston (1915), pioneerin the school
desegregationmovement who fought tirelessly against the
"separatebut equal"principleof the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson
SupremeCourtdecision.Houstondevelopedthe strategyfor
manycivil rightscases broughtbeforethe U.S. SupremeCourt
SUMMER2003
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGESAND UNIVERSITIES
by the NationalAssociationfor the Advancementof Colored
People and guided other black lawyers, includingThurgood
Marshall,who arguedandwon Brownv.Boardof Educationin
1954.
* George Johnson (1973) servedas presidentof LeMoyne-
OwenCollegefrom 1996to 2002 andis currentlya principalat
Academic SearchConsultationService, a Washington,D.C.,
executivesearchfirm that assists colleges and universitiesin
recruitingtheirpresidentsandothersenioracademicofficers.
* Hugh Price (1963) was presidentof the NationalUrban
Leaguefor nine years,endinghis termthis pastApril.
* Jeffrey Wright (1987) won a TonyAwardfor his perform-
ancein AngelsinAmerica:Perestroika. He also starredas artist
Jean-MichelBasquiatin JulianSchnabel's1996 film Basquiat.
Bates College
* Peter J. Gomes (1965) is the
^J^^y^fcl^Plummer Professorof ChristianMor-
BJ^JNHw^9 ~als andPusey Minister in the Memor-
ial Church of HarvardUniversity.
Gomes, an American Baptist minister, is considered one of
America'smost distinguishedpreachers.
* John A. Kenney Jr. (1942) chairedHowardUniversity's
dermatologydepartment for more than 25 years.Kenney
maintainedan activemedicalpracticewhile becoming
the nation'sleading researchphysicianin African-
Americandermatology.
E.
*Benjamin Mays (1920) was once described
by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.as "myspiritual
mentorand my intellectualfather."Mays, a Baptist
minister, was president of Morehouse College from
1940 to 1967.
* Benjamin E. Robinson II (1986) is seniorvice
president,strategymanagementexecutivefor Bankof Amhet
America.He is an expertin consumerprivacyissues ChairlesDrew
and advisesthe FederalReserveBoardon its respon-
sibilitiesunderthe ConsumerCreditProtectionAct.
* Karen Hastie Williams (1966) is a prominentWashington,
D.C.,lawyer well known in legal and public service arenas.
She
is a partnerin the law firmCrowell& Moring.She was a clerk
for SupremeCourtJusticeThurgoodMarshalland workedas
chiefcounselto theU.S. BudgetCommitteeunderU.S. Senator
EdmundMuskieof Maine.
Bowdoin College
Geoffrey Canada (1974) is the presidentand
CEO of Harlem Children'sZone, Inc., an
organization that runs an around-the-clock
c )~.A ~] P school as a safe haven for children. Canada
was the recipientof the firstHeinzAwardin
nn
1994. nl
Kenneth Chenault (1973) is the chairmanand
SUMMER2003
CEO of AmericanExpressCorporation. He has held a variety
of top managementpositionswith the companyfor morethan
20 years.
* Paul D. Miller (1992) is a New York-basedmusician,con-
ceptualartist,and writer.He writesfor The VillageVoice,Art-
forum,RapPages,PaperMagazine,TheSource,amongothers.
His artworkhas been shownat the WhitneyMuseumand the
AndyWarholMuseum.Underthe name "DJSpooky,"he has
recordednumerousalbums.
* John Brown Russwurm (1826) was the thirdAfrican
Americanto earn a college degree in the United States.He
became a noted publisherand later served as governorof a
colony in Liberia.
Bryn Mawr College
N
* Mindy T. Fullilove(1971) is a researchpsychi-
.:t^* atristatNewYorkStatePsychiatricInstituteand
;Q
R!F M^ a professorof clinical psychiatryand public
~ WJL thealth at Columbia University. She is
cofounderof NYC RECOVERS,an allianceof
organizationsconcernedwith the social and emo-
tionalrecoveryof New YorkCity in the aftermathof the Sep-
tember11, 2001 terroristattacks.
Jessica B. Harris (1968) is a culinaryhistorian,lectur-
er, andthe authorof eight cookbooks.She is a tenured
full professorin the English departmentat Queens
J^i, College, a division of the City Universityof New
'~'"/" York.
* Linda A. Hill (1977) is the Wallace Brett
?~~ ~Donham Professorof BusinessAdministration at the
_??i~r Harvard Business School. She is the authorof several
.... books including Becoming a Manager: Mastery of a
New Identityand Power and InfluenceCustomized
rstCollege's CourseModule.
* Lori A. Perine (1980) is the founder,
president,
andCEO of Interpretech, an internationalconsultingfirmpro-
vidingstrategicadvisoryservicesandexpertiseto organizations
facinginnovation-related economicandsocialchange.She has
been recognized as one of the 50 Most ImportantAfrican
Americansin Technology.She was a formerdeputyassociate
directorfor technologyat the White House Office of Science
andTechnologyPolicyduringthe Clintonadministration.
Carleton College
Kirbyjon Caldwell(1975) is the seniorpastor
of WindsorVillage UnitedMethodistChurch
in Houston,Texas.Underhis leadership,the
church has grownfrom25 membersto a con-
gregationof morethan14,000today,makingit
the largest United Methodist congregationin
NorthAmerica.He is also an authorand a leaderin civic and
businessorganizations.
113
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
*Jonathan Capehart(1989) is the deputyeditorialpageedi-
tor of the New YorkDaily News. He won the 1999 Pulitzer
Prize for editorialwritingfor his work on effortsto save the
famedApollo Theaterin Harlem.He also servedas a policy
adviserto MichaelBloombergin his successfulcampaignfor
mayorof New YorkCity.
* Arnold Donald (1976) is chairmanand CEO of Merisant
Company,whose productsincludethe leadingglobaltable-top
sweetener,Equal.In July2002, Fortunemagazinenamedhim
to its list of 'The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in
America."
* Salimah Majeed (1968) servedas the executivedirectorof
African-AmericanFamily Services in Hennepin County,
Minnesota,forovera decadewhereshe becamea leaderin pro-
viding health care, counseling,and other human services to
African-American communities.
* Elizabeth McKune (1970) is a careerforeignserviceoffi-
cer with expertisein the MiddleEast and militaryaffairs.She
was the U.S. ambassadorto Qatarfrom 1998to 2001. She cur-
rently is countrydirectorfor northernArabianaffairsin the
StateDepartment's Bureauof NearEasternAffairs.
Colby College
Adam SimpsonGreen (1887) was
the firstAfrican-American gradu-
ate of ColbyCollege.He became
a teacheranda preacherandpub-
lished a poem titled'The Negro's
Past,Present& Future"for the twen-
ty-fourthanniversary of the Emancipation
Proclamation in 1889.
* Marion Thompson Osborne (1900) becamethe Colgate
first African-Americanwoman to receive a Colby
degree.Osbore was a talentedsingerand workedas a teacher
andbookkeeperbeforemarrying.
*CharlesTerrell(1970) is a nationallyknownconsultantand
lectureron student financial management,minority recruit-
ment,and admissionsissues. He is currentlyvice presidentof
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universities at which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominentblack alumni at all
colleges and universities who are not mentioned in
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
114
community and minority programsat the Association of
AmericanMedicalCollegesin Washington,D.C. Priorto that,
he held various key administrationpositions at the Boston
UniversitySchoolof Medicine.
*Beth 'lrner (1963) is a theaterprofessorandadministrator
at New YorkUniversity'sTischSchoolof theArts.Since 1984
she has also been publisherand editor of Black Masks, a
bimonthly magazine she cofounded, featuringinformation
aboutblackperforming,literary,and visual arts.She has writ-
ten andproducedseveralplays.
Colgate College
? Todd Brown (1971) is executivevice president
of KraftFoods NorthAmerica,Inc. and presi-
dentof the company'se-commercedivision.
*Mel Eubanks (1958)was thepresidentof the
FirstHarlemSecuritiesCorporation,cochairof
W.R.Lazard,and is currentlyseniorvice presi-
dent of M.R. Beal, one of the largestminority-
ownedinvestmentbankingfirmsin the nation.
*Adam ClaytonPowell Jr. (1931), a preeminentcivil rights
leader,was the firstAfricanAmericanto be electedto the
New York City Council. As Harlem'scongressman
from 1945 until 1971, his legislative and personal
effortsdrovethe desegregationof publicschools,the
military,andthe U.S. Capitolbuildings.
* Covette Rooney (1974) was the first African
Americanandwomanin Mississippihistoryto sit as
a federaladministrativelaw judge. She continuesto
serve as anadministrative lawjudgefortheOccupational
. Safety and Health Review Commissionin Washing-
lay te onlys ton, D.C.
* Mel Watkins (1962) was an editorof The New
York Times Book Review.He is the authorof severalbooks
including the Real Side: Laughing,Lyingand Signifying
On
andhis memoir,DancingwithStrangers.
Davidson College
Virgil Fludd (1980) is a memberof the GeorgiaHouse of
Representatives. He also owns a corporaterecruitingcompany.
*Dylan Glenn (1991) is a specialassistantto PresidentBush
for economicpolicy.
* Derry Harper (1976) is the chief inspectorgeneralfor the
stateof Florida.
* Kevin Hanna (1981) is the secretaryof the Office of
Housing and Neighborhood Preservationfor the city of
Philadelphia.
* Lester Strong (1972) is the coanchorof the eveningnews
for WHDH-TVin Boston.
Grinnell College
* Herbie Hancock (1960) is an eight-timeGrammyAward
SUMMER2003
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGESAND UNIVERSITIES
*e wwinner.He also won an Academy Awardin
1987 for his soundtrackto the film Round
Midnight.
Michael J. Harris (1976) builta successful
careerwithMcDonald'sCorp.beforebranching
out on his own. With his office in Albany,Georgia,he now
owns a numberof McDonald'sfranchisesin southernGeorgia.
* Merryl S. Penson (1970) is the chief librarianfor the
Universityof Georgiaboardof regents.She currentlyservesas
the executive directorof libraryservicesat the Universityof
Georgia.
* Eric E. Whitaker (1987) was recentlyappointedas the
directorof the IllinoisDepartmentof PublicHealth.A Chicago
physician,Whitakerfoundedan innovativemedicalclinic on
the city's SouthSide.
* Henry Wingate (1969) becamethe firstAfricanAmerican
appointedto the federalbench in the state of Mississippiin
1985.
Hamilton College
.-. Maurice C. Clifford (1941), an \
toA
obstetrician and gynecologist, /\
Ham it was the first black presidentof
the Medical College of
Pennsylvaniaand Philadelphia'sfirst black health \
commissioner.He made historyearly in his life by
becomingthe firstblackmedicalinternat Philadelphia
GeneralHospital.
* Drew S. Days 1 (1963) is the AlfredM. Rankin Middlebury
Professorof Law at Yale Law School. At Yale, his RonaldH. Brown
teachingand writingshave been in the fields of civil
procedure,federaljurisdiction,SupremeCourtpractice,antidis-
criminationlaw, comparativeconstitutionallaw, and interna-
tional humanrights. He was solicitorgeneralof the United
Statesfrom 1993 to 1996.
* Joe S. Lewis (1975) was the deanof the School of Art and
Design at the FashionInstituteof Technologyin New York
City.He was recentlychairof thedepartment of artat California
StateUniversityat Northridge.
* Percy R. Luney Jr. (1970) is the dean of the new Florida
A&M UniversityCollege of Law. He servedas professorand
lateras dean at North CarolinaCentralUniversitySchool of
Law for nearlytwo decades.
* Robert Parrish Moses (1956) was a full-timeorganizerfor
the civil rightsmovementas a field secretaryfor the Student
Non-ViolentCoordinatingCommittee(SNCC).He developed
theconceptfortheAlgebraProject,whichtodayis a nationwide
outreachprogramto teachalgebrato studentsin poordistricts.
Harvey Mudd College
* Jerome Jackson (1976) is vice presidentof researchand
developmentfor StellartechResearch Corp. in Sunnyvale,
SUMMER 2003
California.Previously,he was directorof engineeringfor
Sunnyvale-based EP TechnologiesInc., a manufacturer of car-
diology andmedicaldeviceproducts.
* Paul B. Vitta (1966) is the directorof UNESCO'sNairobi
office, a positionhe has held since 1992. Previously,he spent
11 years teaching physics, rising to full professor,at the
Universityof Dares Salaamin Tanzania.
Haverford College
*?Ralph F. Boyd Jr. (1979)is the
_ assistant attorney general for
civil rights,where he heads the
Civil RightsDivisionof theU.S.
Departmentof Justice.Priorto this appointmentby President
GeorgeW. Bush, Boyd was a partnerin the Boston law finm,
GoodwinProcter.
* Ted W. Love (1981) is the presidentand CEO of Nuvelo,
Inc., a companythatresearchesand developsbiopharmaceuti-
cals to treatacuteandchronicdiseases.Followinghis med-
ical training,Love joined the facultyof Massachusetts
Generalin the department of cardiology.
Juan Williams (1976) is a seniorcorrespondent
for NationalPublicRadioandwas, for two decades,
a reporter,editorialwriter,and op-ed columnistfor
/ The WashingtonPost. He is the authorof the criti-
/ cally acclaimed biography, Thurgood Marshall:
AmericanRevolutionaryandthe nonfictionbestseller,
Eyes on the Prize: America'sCivil Rights Years,1954-
College's 1965.
* Sarah Willie (1986) is an assistantprofessorin the
sociology and anthropologydepartmentat Swarth-
moreCollege.An authorityon African-American culture,poli-
tics,andliterature,Willieis theauthorof ActingBlack:College,
Identityand the Performanceof Race.
MiddleburyCollege
* Mary Annette Anderson (1899) was the first
woman of color to graduatefrom Middlebury
College. She became a professorand taughtat
StraightUniversityin New Orleansand laterat
HowardUniversity.
* Ronald H. Brown (1962) was the chairmanof
the DemocraticNationalCommittee,playinga majorrole in
Bill Clinton'spresidential electionbidin 1992.Brownwas then
appointedsecretaryof commerceby Clinton.Browndiedin an
airplaneaccident during a mission to rebuild the war-tor
economiesof the Balkanstates.
* Martin Henry Freeman (1848) was the nation's first
African-Americancollege professorand presidentwhen he
joined the faculty of the all-blackAllegheny Institute(now
AveryCollege) in 1850. He also becameprofessorand presi-
dentof LiberiaCollege.
115
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
*James L. Sweatt mI (1958) is a thoracicsurgeonandserves
on the facultyof the Universityof TexasSouthwesternMedical
Center.He was the firstAfricanAmericanto be acceptedat
WashingtonUniversitySchoolof Medicinein St. Louisandthe
firstappointedto the boardof directorsat ParklandMemorial
Hospitalin Dallas.
* Alexander Lucius Twilight (1823) was the firstAfrican-
Americancitizen to earna degreefrom an Americancollege
or university.He was a ministerandeducatorwho becamethe
firstAfrican-Americanmemberof the VermontGeneral
Assembly.
MonHolyoke
Mount Holyoke __
i^^^^
-.*U^ --- Debra Martin Chase
(1977) is a film producer
whose list of productions
includeThePrincessDiaries,
CourageUnder Fire, and The
Preacher'sWife.
* Glenda Hatchett (1973) is a nationallysyndicated OberlinColleges thefoundingdeanof theHowardUniversitySchoolof
television judge. She was Georgia's first African- JohnMercerLangstonLawandlaterservedVirginiain Congress.
Americanchiefpresidingjudgeof a statecourtandthe
department headof one of the largestjuvenilecourtsystemsin
the country.
* Sheryl Y. McCarthy (1969) is a columnistfor Newsday,
whereshe writesa twice-weeklyopinioncolumn.A collection
of her columnswas publishedin a book entitledWhyAre the
HeroesAlwaysWhite?
* Suzan-Lori Parks (1985) is an author,playwright,and
recipientof the 2002 PulitzerPrize for dramafor the play
Topdog/Underdog. In 2001 Parkswon a MacArthurFounda-
tion geniusgrant.
* Gloria Johnson Powell (1958) was the first African-
Americanwomanto achievethe rankof full professorat Har-
vardMedicalSchool. She is currentlythe Universityof Wis-
consinMedicalSchoolassociatedeanforfaculty,a professorof
psychiatryand pediatrics,and directorof the Centerfor the
Studyof CulturalDiversityin Healthcare.
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universities at which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominent black alumni at all
and universities who are not mentioned in
colleges
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
116
Oberlin College
S C Johnnetta Betsch Cole (1957), formerpresi-
4* 'I~ dentof SpelmanCollege,is now the president
deni of Bennett College, the historicallyblack
.l-l .j
.women's college in NorthCarolina.
-* Fannie Jackson Coppin (1865) ran the
Institutefor Colored Youth, a high school for
black studentsin Philadelphia.She also foundeda home for
workingandpoorwomen.
* Jewel Lafontant-Mankarious(1943), a Chicagocivil
rights leader and lawyer, was the first assistantU.S.
attorneyanddeputysolicitorgeneral.She was alsothe
firstAfrican-American womanto graduatefromthe
University of Chicago Law School.
* John Mercer ,angston (1849) was an educator,
statesman, andlawyerwhoorganizedantislavery soci-
eties andhelpedslavesescapeusingthe Underground
Railroad.He is widelyconsideredto be the firstAfrican
Americanto winelectiveofficein theUnitedStates.He was
*Carl T. Rowan (1947) was a syndicatedcolumnist
whose workappearedin 100 newspapers.He was the authorof
eight books, includingbiographiesof the Rev. MartinLuther
King Jr. and SupremeCourtJusticeThurgoodMarshall.He
also servedas deputysecretaryof stateunderJohnF Kennedy
andas directorof the U.S. Information Agency.
Pomona College
* Myrlie Evers-Williams (1968) came to Po-
mona Collegein 1963, afterthe assassinationof
her husband,civil rightsleaderMedgarEvers.
She becamea communityleaderandhelda vari-
ety of top management positions for the
Claremont College system, the AtlanticRichfieldCompany,
and the Board of PublicWorksin Los Angeles.
* John Payton (1973) is a Washington,D.C., attorneyand
was the lead attorneyrepresentingthe Universityof Michigan
beforethe SupremeCourtin the lawsuitsthatchallengedthe
university'saffirmativeactionadmissionspolicies.
*George C. Wolfe (1976) is a Tony-winningproducer,direc-
tor,playwright,and composer.He is knownfor his plays The
ColoredMuseum,AngelsinAmerica,Bringin da Noise, Bring
in da Funk,andHarlemSong.
Smith College
Evelyn Boyd-Granville(1945) was one of the
womento receivea
,cv CO% firsttwoAfrican-American
$ C7\ doctoratein mathematics.Granville spent
i )^MiS ~most of her careerworkingfor privateand
ojIlH[Prc/ governmentorganizationsand also as a pro-
f/DVn E fessorof mathematics.
SUMMER 2003
 A SELECTIONOF PROMINENTBLACKALUMNI OF THEHIGHEST-RANKED
COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES

* Carol Thompson Cole (1973) servedfor manyyearsin the * Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot(1966), is the Emily Hargroves
Districtof Columbiagovernment.She was responsibleforreor- FisherProfessorof Educationat Harvardandchairof theboard
ganizingeight city departmentsinto the Office of Consumer of the JohnD. andCatherineT. MacArthur Foundation.She is
andRegulatoryAffairs.She also servedas thedeputymayorfor the authorof I've KnownRivers:Livesof Loss and Liberation
economicdevelopment. andRespect:An Exploration.
* Adelaide Cromwell (1940) helped to establish,and later
directed,BostonUniversity'sAfro-Americanstudiesprogram. TrinityCollege
Now BostonUniversityProfessorEmeritaof Sociology,Crom- * Joanne Epps (1973) is a tenuredprofessorof
well is the authorof many historical/sociologicalstudies of law and associatedean for academicaffairsat
AfricanAmericans. , TempleUniversity.She was deputycity attor-
*Thelma Golden (1987)is thedeputydirectorforexhibitions ney for LosAngelesandassistantU.S. attorney
and programsfor the StudioMuseumin Harlem.She is well for the easterndistrictof Pennsylvania.
known for her groundbreaking and controversial1995 exhibit * Karen L. Mapp (1977) is the presidentof the
at the WhitneyMuseumtitled "Black Male: Represen- Institutefor ResponsiveEducation,a research,policy,and
tations of Masculinity in ContemporaryAmerican advocacy organizationthat encouragesand supports
Art." S ^ school,family,andcommunitypartnerships.
* Yolanda King (1976), daughterof Dr. Martin Colleen T. Pendleton (1973) is the marketing
LutherKingJr.,is the founderof the theatercompa- directorof Aid to Artisans,a nonprofitorganization
ny HigherGroundProductions,which seeks to pro- that helps bring new economic opportunitiesto
mote socialchangeandjusticethroughthe perform- craftspeople in underdeveloped communities
ing arts. She was a founding member of Christian around the world.
TheatreArtistsand servedfor 10 yearsas the codirec- ? Pamela Richmond (1993) is the directorof the
tor, with Malcolm X's daughterAttallah Shabazz, of Office of Retentionand Diversityat Pratt& Whitney
a of
NUCLEUS, company performing artiststhat trav- SwarthmoreCollege's Power Systems, a division of United Technologies
els to schools and communitiesto promote"positive Christopher F Edley Corporation.
energythrough the arts." *Robert B. Stepto (1966) is professorof American
studies, African-American studies,andEnglishat YaleUniver-
SwarthmoreCollege sity.Among publicationsareFromBehindthe Veil:A Study
his
TralanceO. Addy (1969) is the presidentand of Afro-AmericanNarrative,Afro-AmericanLiterature:The
CEO of Plebys International, a technology- Reconstruction of Instruction,Chantof Saints:A Gatheringof
basedenterprisedevelopmentcompanytar- Afro-American Literature,Art, and Scholarship,and his latest
geting underserved markets worldwide. He book, Blue as the Lake:A PersonalGeography.
is a formerseniorexecutiveat Johnson&
Johnson and holds 12 U.S. patents and Washingtonand Lee University
numerousinternational patents. * Walter S. Blake (1972) is the founder,presi-
* Sherry F. Bellamy (1974) is vice presidentand general dent, and chief executive of RockbridgeCom-
She
counsel for VerizonCommunications. previously was the pany, a Dallas-basedreal estate advisory and
presidentand CEO of Bell Atlantic-Maryland, making her the developmentfirm. He was also chairmanand
firstAfrican-American woman to advance to that rank in the two-termpresidentof theboardof trusteesof The
company. DallasCountyHistoricalFoundation,the manag-
* Mary Schmidt Campbell (1969) is the deanof New York ing body for the internationally acclaimedKennedyassassina-
University'sTisch School of the Arts. She served as the com- tion museum on the sixth floor of the formerTexas School
of
missioner Cultural Affairs of the City of New York from Book Depository, and the Dealey Plaza National Historic
1987 to 1991 and was the executive director of the Studio Landmark.
Museum in Harlem.She is the coauthorof HarlemRenais- * John Chavis (1799) was the firstcollege-educatedAfrican
sance:Artof BlackAmerica and wrote and
Memory Metaphor: American in the UnitedStates.He was a prominentPresbyter-
TheArtof RomareBeardon, 1940-1987. ian minister.
* ChristopherF. Edley (1973) is a professorat HarvardLaw * William B. Hill Jr. (1974) is a partnerin the litigation
of
School. He is the codirector The Civil Rights Project at departmentof Paul, Hastings,Janofsky& Walkerin Atlanta,
Harvardand a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Georgia.Hill spent13 yearswiththeGeorgiaattorneygeneral's
Rights. Professor Edley is the author of NotAll Black & White: office, includingsix years as directorof the criminaldivision
Affirmative Action, Race and American Values. andtwo yearsas deputyattorneygeneral.He was the youngest

SUMMER2003 117
 THEJOURNALOF BLACKSIN HIGHEREDUCATION
divisiondirectorin thehistoryof the Georgiaattorneygeneral's
office, andthe firstAfrican-American attorneyto representthe
state of Georgiain oral argumentsbefore the United States
SupremeCourt.
William M. Toles (1992) is an associatewith the law firm
Stradley& Wrightin Dallas,Texas.Priorto workingat Stradley
& Wright,Toles workedas a prosecutorwith the Dallas City
Attorney'sOffice.
WellesleyCollege
Jane Bolin (1928)was thefirstAfrican-American
"
"'^, femalejudge in the UnitedStates.In 1939 New
. * Chuck Stone (1948) is the WalterSpearmanProfessorof
j1 YorkMayorLa Guardiaappointedherajudgeof
the domesticrelationscourt.JudgeBolin served
^^
.. with distinctionon thatcourtfor 40 years.
* Zoe A. Bush (1976) is an associatejudge on the
Districtof ColumbiaSuperiorCourt.She was appointedto the
benchby PresidentClintonin 1994.
* Shirlee TaylorHaizlip (1959) is an author,journalist,and
essayist.Her editorials,essays, and articleshave appearedin
TheNew YorkTimes,TheLos Angeles Times,Newsweek,and
AmericanHeritage.She has publishedtwo books,TheSweeter
the Juice andIn the Gardenof OurDreams.
* Vivian Pinn (1962) is associatedirectorfor Researchon
Women'sHealthat the NationalInstitutesof Healthand since
1991 has been directorof the Officeon Women'sHealthat the
NIH,thefirstpersonto holdthisfull-timeposition.She alsohas
served as a professorand departmentchair at the Howard
UniversityCollegeof Medicine.
*Barbara Preiskel(1945) is the formervice presidentof the
MotionPictureAssociationof Americawho helpedbreakdown
racialbarriersin entertainmentlaw.The secondblackwomanto
graduatefromYaleLaw Schoolin 1947, she was a lawyerand
executivewiththeMotionPictureAssociationof Americafrom
1959to 1983.
WesleyanCollege
*TerryJ. HatterJr. (1954) was appointedto the UnitedStates
CAUTION:
Selections of black alumni appearinghere were pro-
vided by the colleges and universities at which they
were students.The choices were not selectedby JBHE.
And in no respect are the selections intended to be
comprehensiveor rankedin any way.
Obviously, there are prominentblack alumni at all
colleges and universities who are not mentioned in
this survey.
Listings are intendedsimply to convey the rich his-
tory of African-Americangraduatesof our most pres-
tigious educationalinstitutions.
118
districtcourtin Californiain 1979. He was the
firstblackassistantU.S. attorneyforthe northern
districtof California.He also was a professorat
LoyolaUniversitySchoolof Law.
Jay Hoggard (1976) is a jazz musicianand
band leader who has worked with Tito Puente, the Dizzy
GillespieBand,AnthonyBraxton,andChicoFreeman.He has
recordedmorethan40 albums.Hoggardis currentlya profes-
soratWesleyanUniversity,teachingmusictheoryanddirecting
thejazz orchestra.
*TheodoreM. Shaw (1976) is the associatedirector-counsel
of the LegalDefenseandEducationalFund.
Journalismat the Universityof NorthCarolinaat ChapelHill.
Stone is a politicalanalystfor WTVD-TVin Durham.Stone
has authoredthreebooks on the black politicalexperiencein
the United States:TellIt LikeIt Is, Black Political Power in
America,andKingStrut.He was the firstblackcolumnistfor
the PhiladelphiaDaily News and later its first black senior
editor.
* Beverly Daniel Tatum (1975) is the presidentof Spelman
College.She has spent22 yearsin highereducationandprevi-
ously served as dean of MountHolyoke College. She is the
authorof WhyAre All the Black Kids SittingTogetherin the
Cafeteria?And OtherConversationsAboutRace andAssim-
ilationBlues:BlackFamiliesin a WhiteCommunity.
Williams College
Gaius Bolin (1889) was the first black
graduateof Williams.He becamea lawyer
and founded the Dutchess County,New
York,chapterof the NAACP.
Sterling A. Brown (1922) was a poet
and literarycritic duringthe HarlemRen-
aissance. His poetry was influenced by jazz,
the blues, work songs, and Negro spirituals. Brown, who
was also a professor of English at HowardUniversity, was
the author of Southern Road and The Last Ride of Wild
Bill.
Allison Davis (1924) was the firstAfricanAmericanto be
grantedtenureat a northern,predominantlywhite college or
university.He was a memberof the Universityof Chicagofac-
ulty from 1942 untilhis deathin 1983.
* Gordon J. Davis (1963) was cofounderof the CentralPark
Conservancyand servedas commissionerof ParksandRecre-
ationin New YorkCity underMayorEd Koch. He currently
practiceslaw in New York.
* RayfordW. Logan (1917) was a historianandprofessorof
history at Howard University.He was the coeditor of the
Dictionaryof AmericanNegro Biography.His best-known
workis TheNegro in AmericanLife and Thought:TheNadir,
1877-1901. IJBHE:|
SUMMER2003