In Memoriam

Harding Bernette Young (1922-2007)

Harding B. Young, the first African-American faculty member at the Georgia State University School of Business, died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease late last month at his home in Atlanta. He was 85 years old.

Young was a native of Rosston, Arkansas. In 1955 he graduated from Harvard University and stayed on in Cambridge to become the first African American to win a doctorate in business administration from Harvard. After teaching at Clark Atlanta University, in 1969 he joined the business school faculty at Georgia State University.

Mike Mescon, dean emeritus of the business school, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “When I brought him in, diversity wasn’t that prevalent. Dr. Young shattered more stereotypes in five minutes than many can in 50 years. He was the gold standard. He was the best.”

Young remained on the faculty at Georgia State until 1988. During his tenure he counseled three U.S. presidents on minority business development issues. He also served as a corporate consultant on racial diversity.

Roland Hayes Davis (1927-2007)

Roland H. Davis, a long-time administrator at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, died late last month at his home on Long Island. He was 80 years old.

Davis was a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and spent one year at Case Western Reserve University before enlisting in the Army in 1946. After 20 years in the armed services he resumed his education at Hofstra in 1966. He went on to earn a master’s of social work degree from Adelphi University.

At age 52 he became director of community relations and affirmative action at Hofstra. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. During his tenure he served as organization president for the 100 Black Men of Long Island.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.