The Lincoln LionSPECIAL COLLECTIONS 1A14G5TOH HUSHC5 MEMORIAL LIBRARY Summer 1987 Edition •LINCOLN UNiVr-Sl'TV, FA 19352. Members of the Class of 1987 hold out their hands in response to Vincent Gordon Harding, who, in his Charge to the Graduates, told them "I place in your hands the ashes ...the souldust... Take the ashes and create the cement to build again...." University Holds 128th Commencement Charles L. Blockson, a dedicated historian and curator who has amassed incoln University conferred 104 General Honors Program: a collection of some 40,000 books, Bachelor of Science, 32 Bach- Charisse Steele, Psychology; Janice pamphlets, manuscripts, drawings, Lelor of Arts, and 68 Master of Walcott, Biology. sheet music, anti-slavery broadsides, Human Services degrees at its recent Honors in Natural and Social photographs, posters and artifacts. Soon 128th Commencement ceremonies. Sciences Program: Rhashidah Perry, to receive the Before Columbus University president Dr. Niara Public Affairs; Beth Thompson, Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Sudarkasa conferred the degrees; Economics; Octavia Blount, Physics; Award, Blockson has authored several candidates were presented by Dr. Anita Connors, Chemistry. highly-acclaimed books and lectured in THE Bernard R. Woodson, Jr., who has since Dr. Sudarkasa also conferred five the West Indies, South America, and retired as executive vice president and honorary Doctor of Laws degrees, as Denmark. LINCOLN UNIVERSITY provost. follows: H. Alfred Farrell, who has served LION Notables present at the May 3 Marian Wright Edelman, a lawyer Lincoln for the past 35 years as exercises at Manuel Rivero Hall were and social activist who has served in a director of public relations, director of social activist and comedian Dick number of very important posts, written alumni relations, professor of English, Cordially Gregory, whose daughter, Paula, four books, and participated in national chair of the English Department, received a bachelor of science degree; commissions. The recipient of honorary director of the Thirteen-College Invites You to Attend the honorable Igwe R. C. Nwakoby, degrees from more than 25 colleges Curriculum Development Program, The Inaugural Conference 1952 Lincoln alumnus and chair of and universities, she is the founder and and director of Freshman Studies. The "Black Education into Valid Assurance Company Limited in current president of the Children's recipient of several distinguished Lagos, Nigeria; and honorable Defense Fund and chairperson of the teaching awards, he has authored a the 21st Century" professor Edward W. Blyden II, 1948 Board of Trustees of Spelman College number of scholarly publications, is October 8-9, 1987 Lincoln alumnus, from Sierra Leone, in Atlanta, Ga. active in the community, and has And West Africa. Vincent Harding, one of the endowed two LU student achievement foremost historians of the Afro- awards. The Inauguration of Honor Graduates American experience who has written Robert T. Freeman Jr., a 1941 Dr. Niara Sudarkasa more than 250 published articles, graduate of Lincoln and member of the Eleventh President Honor graduates are as follows: essays, reviews, and books, including University's Board of Trustees who has Summa cum laude: Marilynn C. There is a River, the first volume of a been involved extensively in the October 10, 1987 Lupien, class valedictorian; Anita L. projected trilogy on the struggle for economic development of several Afri- Connors, salutatorian. Black freedom in America. The can countries. Founder and managing Magna cum laude: Yvette D. Bell, recipient of numerous recognition director of the Ghana Insurance Com- Rhonda M. Thurston. awards, he was the first director of the pany, he designed and administered the Cum laude: Rohan J. Banton, Martin Luther King Jr. Library first social security system for that Homecoming & Senior Week Octavia L. Blount, Kenneth K. Cullen, Documentation Project and of the country. He is the founder and current October 18-25, 1987 Aaron Durr, Marvela L. Guice, Glenda Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial president of Freeman International Hart, Wayne Howard, Benson W. Center. He has also been involved in Prigg, Beth Thompson, Reahienia M. the production of several television Williams. series for CBS and PBS. (See Commencement, Page 6) The Lincoln Lion 2 Summer 1987 Edition Contents ALUMNI NOTES 1 University Holds 128th Commencement 2 Alumni Notes 3 New Board of Trustees Officers and Members From the Philadelphia Alumni Elect Officers 4 Inaugural Conference and Convocation Executive 5 First Female President for the First Black University University Anthem to Premiere 7 Lincoln Graduates 204 Secretary 9 In Memoriam Dr. Hildrus A. Poindexter, '24 Dr. H. Alfred Farrell Dr. James B. MacRae, '24 Alfonso E. Jones, '55 U.S. Rep. N. C. Nix,Sr.,'21 t the annual meeting of the 10 Class Notes General Alumni Association on U.S. District Judge Barrington D. Parker Makes A- May 2, the body —welcomed Lincoln's new president, Landmark Rulings Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, and enthusiasti- Father Paul Washington Retires cally received her remarks about a 11 Alumni Returning for Commencement '87 greater Lincoln; 14 Class Secretaries Directory —approved the minutes of the 1986 annual meeting; —was given a summary of the morn- ing meeting of The Council which re- ceived the Executive Secretary's report detailing a meeting with Dr. Sudarkasa as a follow-up of the recommendation The Lincoln University Lion is published quarterly (fall, winter, spring, and of the Executive Secretary to seek clos- summer) by Lincoln University, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, 19352. er ties with the University; Telephone: (215) 932-8300. —approved the recommendation that the report be turned over to the Liaison Entered as second class mail at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, under Act of Committee for implementation; August 24, 1912. USPS 313-940. —listened to remarks of the Director of Alumni Relations, Dr. Frank T. Compiled and Edited by the Office of Coleman, who announced, among oth- Public Relations and Publications er things, that to date $50,000 had come in from alumni and that he was Editor/Director Sam W. Pressley hopeful of another $50,000 before the Editorial Assistant Mary Alice Lyons day's end; Production Assistant Barbara Foresman —received the report of the treasur- Photographer Morris T. Brown II er, Nathan South, which gave the net worth of the Association as Director of Alumni Relations Dr. Frank T. Coleman $37,450.10, as of March 31, 1987; Alumni Executive Secretary Dr. H. Alfred Farrell —heard from trustee William Rivers the report of the alumni trustees, which included the President's activities dur- ing her first 80 days in office; the elec- tion of Board of Trustees officers for 1987-88; the securing of a professional The Lion's PURPOSE architect and planning consultant to First, to cultivate an inquiring and critical mind; to direct it toward the apprehen- address the campus's short-term and sion of truth; and to arm it with those skills essential for effective oral and long-term planning issues; honorary written communication. degree recipients; and a proposed re- view of the Urban Education Center's mission, organizational structure, and financial viability; —received the reports of the Audit- ing Commmittee and the Committee MOVING? on Outstanding Alumni; Please notify the LU Lion 4 weeks in advance. To change or correct your —heard the report of the President of address, please send this form to: Lincoln Lion — Alumni Bulletin, Lincoln the Association, Donald Pierce, in University, Lincoln University, PA 19352 which he mentioned the death of three prominent members of the Class of 1924: Dr. George Cannon, Dr. Hildrus Name. Poindexter, and Dean J. B. MacRae; (Please Print) —approved the recommended consti- New Address. tutional changes distributed to all alumni prior to the annual meeting; and City —nominated Dolores Coleman, '72, State- Zip. Israel Floyd, '69, and Harold Levister, '64, to serve on the Board of Trustees. Class At the annual banquet held also on May 2, Alumni Achievement awards A TTACH OLD ADDRESS LABEL were presented to Reginald E. Benn, from your latest issue '42; Calvin L. Hackney, '52; and Willi- am H. Rivers Jr., '57. • Summer 1987 Edition The Lincoln Lion 3 Lincoln Names Officers and New Members of Board of Trustees .LeRoy Robinson Jr., manager of The board reinstated Dr. Donald L. public relations for Bell Telephone Co. Mullett, Lincoln's vice president for of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, has fiscal affairs, as treasurer; Theodore been elected chair of the Lincoln Robb, a partner in a housing consulting University Board of Trustees for April firm in Philadelphia, as secretary; and 1987 thorugh April 1988. He replaces Marion C. Ewing as assistant secretary. Dr. LeRoy Patrick, who had served in Robinson, vice chair of Lincoln's that position since 1985. policy-making body from 1984 to Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, a 1987, is also chair of the board's theoretical physicist at Bell Planning Committee. He's a member of Laboratories, in Murray Hill, N.J., and the board of Pennsylvania Blue Shield the nation's first Black woman to earn Corporation, the National Urban LeRoy Robinson Jr., recently-elected chair Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, recently-elected (in 1973 from the Massachusetts League, and numerous other public and of the Lincoln University Board of Trust- vice-chair of the Lincoln University Board Institute of Technology (MIT) a professional organizations. In addition, of Trustees. doctoral degree in physics, was elected he has a history of extensive service in ees. to serve as vice chair. Edward D. Frank civic and state, county, and municipal II, Esq., will fill the newly created government affairs. position of parliamentarian. Robinson was first named to Lincoln's Board of Trustees in 1977. He resides in Harrisburg. Dr. Patrick, a 1939 Lincoln graduate from Philadelphia Pittsburgh, will continue to serve on the 32-member board. Support The board also named five new Alumni Elect trustees: Arthur R.