Grace Harris
VCU's Provost Emeritus Grace Harris is a dramatic example of the trials which African Americans underwent in 20th century Virginia and the greater opportunities they have today. Denied admission to the School of Social Work in 1954 because of her race, she joined the School's faculty in 1967, was named the School's Dean in 1982, became Vice Provost for Continuing Studies and Public Service in 1990, and was Academic Provost from 1993 until her retirement in 1999. She was also Acting President of VCU during the Summer of 1995 and again in 1998. Upon her retirement, the Board of Visitors created the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute which she continues to lead.
While each of these promotions marked a significant accomplishment both for Dr. Harris and VCU, in a 1995 article in VCU's alumni magazine she states "becoming Dean was the most significant professional accomplishment and personal victory for me given the complete turn of events it entailed."
To learn more about African American history at VCU, visit the library's online version of the VCU alumni magazine article, "This Was My Time"--Integrating RPI and VCU. A timeline of African American history at VCU is available online and a display with images from the University Archives is also on exhibit on the first floor of Cabell Library.
--Ray Bonis, Special Collections and Archives.