Clement Richardson (1878 – December 1949) was an American professor, college president, and author. An African American, he served as president of Lincoln Institute in Jefferson City, Missouri from 1918 until 1922.[1] He edited The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race[2] which includes a profile on him.[3]

Clement Richardson
President of Lincoln University
In office
1918–1922
Preceded byBenjamin F. Allen
Succeeded byInman E. Page
Personal details
Born1878
Halifax County, Virginia, U.S.
DiedDecember 1949 (aged 70–71)
SpouseIda J. Rivers
Children4
EducationMount Hermon School,
Brown University
Alma materHarvard University
OccupationProfessor, university president, author, editor

Early life and education

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Clement Richardson was born in 1878 in Halifax County, Virginia.[4] He attended White Oak Grove Country School and tilled tobacco.[3] He moved to Massachusetts for access to more education, initially working in tanning and farming, before attending the boys' school at Mount Hermon School (now Northfield Mount Hermon School).[2][5]

For three years he attended Brown University, before transferring.[2] Richardson graduated from Harvard University in 1907, one six African Americans graduating that year.[6][4]

Career

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Richardson worked as a correspondent for many newspapers and magazines including The Boston Daily Globe;[7] work that continued throughout his entire life.

He was the director of the department of English literature and rhetoric of Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1908.[8] In 1908, Richardson joined the faculty of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) as the head of the English department.[2][5] He wrote a pamphlet titled "Extension Work" while at Tuskegee Institute.[9]

From 1918 to 1922, Richardson served as the president of Lincoln Institute.[1][10] Lincoln Institute became Lincoln University during his tenure as its president.[11] In 1919, he was participant at a convention of African American educators in Jefferson City, many of the presentations were affiliated to the Negro Educational Congress.[12] In 1919, he missed a Negro State Teachers event due to coal shortages at the school and in Missouri.[13]

In 1922 he was to visit Richmond, Virginia.[14]

Clement Richardson Fine Arts Center and Auditorium

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The Clement Richardson Fine Arts Center was building was constructed at Lincoln University in 1956.[15] The auditorium / theater wing was under construction in 1958.[16] The Arts Center has hosted events.[17][18]

Writings

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  • Richardson, Clement (June 12, 1915). "Notable Work of Southern School". The Denver Star. p. 4 – via Chronicling America.; about Tuskegee Institute's 34th year of existence
  • Richardson, Clement (June 12, 1915). "Notable Work of Southern School". The Twin City Star. p. 1 – via Chronicling America.
  • Richardson, Clement (July 1, 1916). "Tuskegee Makes Steady Advance". The Denver Star. p. 7 – via Chronicling America.; about commencement as Tuskegee Institute various related events
  • Richardson, Clement (August 24, 1917). "Negro Farm Agents Doing Their Share to Win the War". The Nashville Globe. p. 3 – via Chronicling America.
  • The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race, editor

Personal life

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Richardson was married in 1908 to Ida J. Rivers, and had four daughters.[5] He died in December 1949.[4]

See also

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  • Inman E. Page, the first African American to serve as president of Lincoln Institute

References

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  1. ^ a b Parks, Arnold G. (2012-09-18). Lincoln University: 1920-1970. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-1-4396-1892-9.
  2. ^ a b c d Holland, Antonio Frederick (2006). Nathan B. Young and the Struggle Over Black Higher Education. University of Missouri Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-8262-6550-0.
  3. ^ a b Richardson, Clement, ed. (January 8, 1919). "Clement Richardson". The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race. National Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b c "Clement Richardson Dies". The Kansas City Times. December 26, 1949. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Secretary's Fourth Report, Harvard College Class of 1907. Plimpton Press. 1917. p. 309.
  6. ^ "Colored Students At Harvard". The Boston Globe. July 14, 1907. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Bailey, Richard (1999). They Too Call Alabama Home: African American Profiles, 1800-1999. Pyramid. p. 323. ISBN 978-0-9671883-0-0.
  8. ^ Rudder, Justin A. (2019). "Grassroots Historians and African American Historiography in Alabama". Alabama Review. 72 (4): 259–300. doi:10.1353/ala.2019.0034. Gale A609735001 Project MUSE 742251 ProQuest 2317841245.
  9. ^ Humanities, National Endowment for the (May 29, 1920). "The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, May 29, 1920, Image 1" – via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
  10. ^ "New President Lincoln University Visits City". The Kansas City Sun (Kansas City, Mo.) Image 3. 1918-07-27. ISSN 2166-8329. Retrieved 2023-03-07 – via Chronicling America, National Endowment for the Humanities.
  11. ^ Marshall, Albert (1966). "Soldiers' dream: a centennial history of Lincoln University of Missouri". Lu History Book Collection: 11.
  12. ^ "Negros Hold Convention". The Kansas City Sun. April 5, 1919. p. 4 – via Chronicling America, National Endowment for the Humanities.
  13. ^ "Baha'i Louis Gregory substituted for Clement Richardson". Black Dispatch. December 5, 1919. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Hold Installation". Richmond Planet. April 22, 1922. p. 4 – via Chronicling America.
  15. ^ "The Physical Plant". Official Manual of the State of Missouri. Secretary of State. 1969. p. 610.
  16. ^ "College Art Journal". College Art Association of America. March 7, 1957 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ "Jefferson City News And Tribune Archives, Oct 19, 1958, p. 5". 19 October 1958.
  18. ^ State, Missouri Office of the Secretary of (March 7, 1959). "Official Manual for Years ..." Secretary of State – via Google Books.