Academic Historian

Dwayne Mack is Associate Professor of history and affiliated faculty with African/African American Studies at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky where he holds the Carter G. Woodson Chair in African American History.  He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, attended college in North Carolina, and received his Ph.D. in American history at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, where he served as coordinator of the Talmadge Anderson Heritage House, the campus African American Cultural Center.  He is the lead editor of Mentoring Faculty of Color: Essays on Professional Development and Advancement in Colleges and Universities (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2013).  He is also the author of several peer reviewed articles and book chapters on the African American experience in the West and South.  His work in progress includes a book manuscript, “We Have a Story to Tell: The African American Community in Spokane, Washington, 1945-1990.”

Kobe Bryant (1978-2020)

Professional basketball superstar Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles (California) Lakers since 1996 when he came to the team as an eighteen-year-old, the youngest player in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, until his retirement in 2016. Bryant was a long-time philanthropist, using his well-known … Read MoreKobe Bryant (1978-2020)

Thomas L. Purce (1946- )

Thomas “Les” Purce, politician, businessman, educator, university administrator, and grandson of pioneering black Idahoans, was born on November 13, 1946 to John and Idaho Purce in Pocatello, Idaho.  His grandfather, Tracey Thompson, was a well-known Idaho rodeo star.  As one of five siblings, he attended … Read MoreThomas L. Purce (1946- )

Oberlin College (1833- )

Oberlin College which was named Oberlin Collegiate Institute until 1850, is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio.   In 1833, Presbyterian ministers John Jay Sipherd and Philo P. Stewart founded the institution as a college preparatory institute to promote Christian values.  Oberlin’s progressive history … Read MoreOberlin College (1833- )

Percy Sutton (1920-2009)

Percy Sutton, attorney, politician, civil rights activist, and businessman, was born on November 24, 1920, in San Antonio, Texas to school teachers Samuel and Lillian Sutton.  Percy Sutton attended Prairie View A&M University, Tuskegee Institute, and Hampton Institute.  In 1942, Sutton joined the military.  He … Read MorePercy Sutton (1920-2009)