In Memoriam: Doris Adelaide Derby, 1939-2022

Doris Adelaide Derby, a noted photographer of the civil rights era and a long-time educator, died late last month. She was 82 years old and had suffered from cancer.

A native of The Bronx in New York City, Derby attended Hunter College in Manhattan where she became a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. She graduated in 1962 and became a teacher. After visiting a friend in Mississippi where she was exposed to severe poverty, Derby began a long career as a photographer studying the life of low-income African Americans in the South.

Derby later earned a master’s degree in cultural and social anthropology, specializing in African-American studies and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. Dr. Derby went on to teach African-American studies and anthropology at the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Dr. Derby later served as director of African-American student services at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

In Memoriam: Shani Mott, 1976-2024

Dr. Mott was a lecturer in the department of history and Center for Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University where she worked for the past sixteen years. Her academic studies focused on racial language in American popular culture.

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.

Featured Jobs