In May, the Leon County Library hosted a community lecture
series, which included a special look into the early beginnings of historically
black colleges and universities (HBCUs). FAMU History Professor
Reginald Ellis,
Ph.D., led the series’ installment at the B.L. Perry, Jr. Branch Library, which
also commemorated the Annual Festival of Freedom honoring the first reading of
the Emancipation Proclamation in Tallahassee.
Titled “Thomas DeSaille Tucker and His Radical Approach to
Black Higher Education,” Ellis presented an inspiring lecture that analyzed the
role of Florida A&M University and its first president. The discussion on
HBCUs at the dawn of the 20th century was centered on the famous question of
liberal arts versus vocational education for African Americans. The lecture
revealed the tactics that Tucker used to ensure funding and other forms of
support for the young institution and gave a deeper look into his leadership
strategies.
Ellis specializes in the history of HBCUs and
African-American leaders during the Jim Crow Era. His research also
concentrates on African Americans in U.S. History since 1887, contemporary
African-American history and oral history.
