In Memoriam: Ralph C. Gomes, 1937-2020

Ralph Gomes, a professor of sociology at Howard University in Washington, D.C., died on March 16. He was 82 years old.

A proud native of Guyana, Dr. Gomes received a bachelor’s degree from the Inter-American University in San German, Puerto Rico. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. In 1960, Dr. Gomes represented his native country of Guyana as a middle-distance runner in the Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.  

Dr. Gomes began his career in 1971 at Howard University as a lecturer in what was then the department of sociology and anthropology. He quickly moved on to become an assistant professor in 1973. In 1974, Dr. Gomes wrote the proposal and successfully advocated for the establishment of what remains the only Ph.D. program in sociology at an HBCU. He served on the Howard University faculty for 49 years. Dr. Gomes co-authored the book From Exclusion to Inclusion: The Long Struggle for African American Political Power (Praeger, 1991).

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs