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Black History Month

An ever-expanding guide dedicated to Black History Month

Image Source: Rod Robinson

Rodney Robinson, a Virginia State University alum (Class of 2000), earned his bachelor's degree in history before becoming an award-winning educator with over 20 years of experience in Richmond Public Schools. In 2019, he was named National Teacher of the Year for his dedication to educational equity, including five years teaching at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside Richmond Juvenile Jail, where he used education to empower incarcerated youth.

Education at VSU

VSU College of Education

Notable VSU Educators:

  • Clara Byrd Baker (1886–1979)
    • Field: Education & Civic Leadership
    • Achievement: A dedicated educator and suffragist, Baker was instrumental in advancing educational opportunities for African Americans in Virginia and played a key role in women’s voting rights.
  • Aline Elizabeth Black (1906–1974)
    • Field: Science Education & Civil Rights
    • Achievement: A pioneering educator, Black challenged unequal pay for Black teachers in Norfolk, Virginia, leading to a landmark civil rights lawsuit that contributed to salary equalization in public schools.
  • Dr. Herman Branson (1914–1995)
    • Field: Physics, Chemistry & Academic Leadership
    • Achievement: A renowned physicist, Branson is best known for his research on the alpha helix protein structure and served as president of two colleges, contributing significantly to science education.
  • Dr. Daryl Cumber Dance (1938–Present)
    • Field: Folklore & English Literature
    • Achievement: A distinguished folklorist and author, Dr. Dance has made significant contributions to the study of African American folklore and literature and has enriched the academic community as a professor.
  • Mary Hatwood Futrell (1940–Present)
    • Field: Education & Labor Leadership
    • Achievement: A pioneering educator and labor leader, Futrell served as president of the National Education Association (1983–1989) and later became dean at George Washington University, shaping education policy and reform.
  • Dr. William R. Harvey (1941–Present)
    • Field: Higher Education Administration
    • Achievement: As president of Hampton University for over 40 years (1978–2022), Dr. Harvey transformed the institution, making him one of the longest-serving and most influential university presidents in the U.S.

African American Educators

Original Image Sources: NPCA, Coppin State University, WikiMedia, AMACAD, Battlefields.org, Find a Grave

Pictured left to right: Mary McLeod Bethune, Fanny Jackson Coppin, Kelly Miller, Dr. Edmund Gordon, Susie King Taylor, and Septima Poinsette Clark

  • Mary McLeod Bethune (1875–1955)
    • Field: Education & Civil Rights
    • Achievement: Founded Bethune-Cookman University and the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Served as an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, advocating for Black education and civil rights.
  • Fanny Jackson Coppin (1837–1913)
    • Field: Higher Education & Administration
    • Achievement: The first Black woman to become a school principal in the U.S. and later a college president at the Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University). She pioneered teacher training programs for African Americans.
  • Kelly Miller (1863–1939)
    • Field: Mathematics, Sociology & Higher Education
    • Achievement: The first Black graduate student in mathematics at Johns Hopkins University. Served as a dean at Howard University, advocating for education as a tool for racial uplift. He was a prolific writer on Black social issues.
  • Dr. Edmund Gordon (1921–Present)
    • Field: Psychology & Educational Equity
    • Achievement: A renowned psychologist and educator, he co-founded Head Start, a program providing early childhood education for low-income children. His research emphasized culturally relevant learning and equity in education.
  • Susie King Taylor (1848–1912)
    • Field: Literacy & Nursing Education
    • Achievement: The first Black woman to teach openly in a school for freed slaves in Georgia. As a Civil War nurse, she also taught soldiers to read and write while working with the Union Army.
  • Septima Poinsette Clark (1898–1987)
    • Field: Civil Rights & Literacy Education
    • Achievement: Known as the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement," she developed Citizenship Schools that taught literacy to Black voters. She worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and played a major role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).