HELPERS, HEALERS, AND HEROES ON THE OCCASION OF ITS CENTENNIAL IN 2018, THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK CELEBRATES ITS BLACK EXPERIENCE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH helpers, healers, and heroes ON THE OCCASION OF ITS CENTENNIAL IN 2018, THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK CELEBRATES ITS BLACK EXPERIENCE MESSAGE FROM THE THE ALUMNI THE STUDENT THE FACULTY DEAN EMERITUS EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE HELPERS, HEALERS, AND HEROES 6 8 22 24 ON THE OCCASION OF ITS CENTENNIAL IN 2018, THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK CELEBRATES ITS BLACK EXPERIENCE 2018 THE LEADERSHIP SPECIAL SOCIAL WORK HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE EVENTS IMAGERY TIMELINE 28 38 44 46 HELPERS, HEALERS, AND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK HEROES UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH INTRODUCTION THE BLACK PITT SOCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE There is no extant evidence that any African American was associated with the STUDENTS Of course, great schools attract, retain, and University of Pittsburgh School of Social graduate great students. Because records of Work (SSW) when it was established in students’ race were not officially kept in the 1918 as the newest Pitt academic program. early years, the presence and achievements Yet, if no Black students, faculty, staff, of early Black Pitt social work students are not or administrators enriched the Pitt SSW documented for the post-World War I period. experience at the outset, they certainly succeeded—indeed overachieved—in By World War II, however, Nancy Lee, a delivering many great contributions in the descendant of President Thomas Jefferson last 75 years. and his slave Sally Hemings, had enrolled, and she graduated in 1943. In the 1950s African This publication trumpets the story within American enrollment in the MSW program a story of the myriad ways in which African included psychiatric social workers Ronald Americans helped the SSW become a Lewis and before him Alameda McClellan. top-tier institution in furtherance of its calling to prepare social workers, social Black enrollment surged in the 1960s. The policy makers, social work researchers MSW class of 1964 was the first in which and scholars, as well as engage in more males than women enrolled. Yet, at scholarship and provide service. Beginning least two of the latter were Black. To date, modestly in 1918 as a program within approximately 1,000 African American the sociology department of the Pitt students received BASW, MSW, and DSW/ School of Economics, in 2018 the SSW PhD degrees at the University of Pittsburgh is a fully accredited elite school of social SSW. And 58 Pitt SSW doctoral degrees were work—within an American Association of earned by Black scholars. Universities institution—that awards BASW, MSW, and PhD degrees. FACULTY Thus, having whispered into existence in These gifted students were taught and the early 20th century, the School roared prepared by talented faculty that included into the 21st with a ferocity that placed it African Americans since the early 1960s, into the top tier of the nation’s schools of beginning with Mary Ella Robertson in 1961. social work, ranked 10 on the U.S. News & On the heels of earlier activism by the student World Report listing of the best schools of Black Action Society, the 1970s saw the social work by 2017. arrival of a cadre of Black Pitt SSW faculty amidst a successful broader campus-wide drive by Black students—both graduate and undergraduate—to foster a more integrated faculty. Between 1968 and 2018, the full- time SSW faculty ranks included 30 African HELPERS, Americans. HEALERS, AND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK HEROES 3 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH THE BLACK PITT SOCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE [continued] The robust teaching, research, and service agendas of Over the decades, Black alumni have followed Orlene the School’s Black faculty have helped to elevate the Ricco’s generosity with philanthropy of their own, among LEADERSHIP For the last nearly 50 years—almost half of the School’s reputation of the School of Social Work within both the most generous of whom have been Joy Starzl life—the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work the University of Pittsburgh and the national schools and David Epperson with their families. These donor- thrived under Black leadership. When he retired as the of social work communities. Local recognition in the alumni validate the continuous work of the School in first Black SSW dean in 2001, David Epperson had served host Western Pennsylvania community is evidenced support of its mission, encourage onward and upward BOARD OF a 29-year tenure and was Pitt’s longest serving dean. by the Falk Fund’s establishment at the School of the achievements, and inspire generosity to the School by His accomplishments ushered in the School’s 60th Philip Hallen Chair in Social Justice and Community other alumni and friends. VISITORS anniversary as the University’s 18th separate school and Health. Pitt appointed John Wallace as the most recent positioned the school for his successor to guide it to its of the two African Americans to hold the distinguished SSW African American alumna donor Joy Starzl and local CURRENT AND FORMER next level of excellence. professorship, a chair that alternates between the SSW Black volunteers Esther Bush, Rod Doss, Glenn Mahone, AFRICAN AMERICAN and Pitt’s Graduate School of Public Health. Wendell Freeland, Eric Springer, and Doris Carson MEMBERS Larry Davis, as that successor, established a plethora Williams have served on the Board of Visitors over of initiatives and programs, as he led the school to its The work of Dr. Wallace is a fine example of the the years. PAULA ALLEN-MEARES current level of eminence. Further extending the Black continuing practice of Pitt SSW professors combining experience, Larry Davis established the annual Cuba tour, ESTHER BUSH mutually supportive teaching, practice, service, and Fundamentally, the greatest contributions SSW alumni the Center on Race and Social Problems, and appointed scholarship that uplift the social work profession, the make to humankind is being social workers. Still, many the first Black associate dean for academic affairs, first KING DAVIS University, and the surrounding host community. He alumni—from a social work-springboard—have achieved Black chair of the PhD program Valire Carr Copeland. holds the inaugural Epperson Chair. distinction in other walks of life as well. Stanley Battle, ROD DOSS who earned his Pitt PhD in 1980, was president of North The reach of the School and its world-class reputation Carolina A&T University. Before becoming dean of the WENDELL FREELAND were elevated further through its acclaimed 2010 national ALUMNI social work school at Atlanta University, Rufus Lynch, conference “Race in America: Restructuring Inequality” Without question, the reach of the SSW is most who earned a 1970 Pitt MSW, was chief of staff for GLENN MAHONE and the establishment of the scholarly journal Race and profoundly and ongoingly extended through the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House of Representatives Social Problems. G contributions of alumni. Prepared by the social work K. Leroy Irvis and dean of the Whitney Young , Jr. School ERIC SPRINGER programs at all three levels and by—in many cases—joint of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University. Pitt emeritus JOY STARZL programs with other academic entities, Pitt SSW alumni professor Grady Roberts, who holds MSW and PhD have made their marks across a sweep of agencies, degrees from Pitt, experienced a distinguished military AARON WALTON organizations, and institutions that touch the local, state, career, rising to the rank of colonel. To be sure, the national, and international landscapes. And Black alumni analytical, critical thinking, and leadership skills important DORIS CARSON WILLIAMS are prominent among these achievers. in the social worker also serve well other professions. In addition, remembering the Alma Mater that was As School alumni proclaim, just the privilege of earning foundational in their success, African American alumni a University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work degree have supported the SSW through both volunteerism and is itself a fine achievement for the Black graduates philanthropy. to claim. The trailblazers who were the firsts deserve special recognition: In particular, Joy Starzl, David Epperson, Nancy Lee, and noted civic leader and social work pioneer Orlene First Black MSW, Nancy Lee 1943 Ricco—who bequeathed her estate to the the School—are First Black DSW/PhD, Inabel Burns Lindsay 1952 among the SSW’s most generous individual donors. HELPERS, HEALERS, AND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK 4 HEROES 5 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH message from the DEAN EMERITUS As alumni, the graduates of the SSW have assumed Of course, the SSW benefits from an enormously DONALD HENDERSON leadership positions in governmental and non- successful network of support that includes an engaged PROFESSOR EMERITUS AND governmental organizations, human service agencies, Board of Visitors, philanthropic believers, government a variety of non-profits, hospitals, schools, and officials, community partners, program sponsors, DIRECTOR, CENTER ON RACE universities, among other entities. For example, and friends. Included in the latter are collaborators AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS one distinguished African American alumna, Orlene within the University’s many entities. This network Ricco, was appointed the first social work director at is well represented by enthusiastic African American contributors. LARRY E. DAVIS Pittsburgh’s renowned Magee Women’s Hospital. This Helpers and Healers publication is presented By the end of the 1960s, Black faculty were part of Finally, the SSW established the Center on Race and in recognition of the rich and mutually rewarding the SSW community. And these professors have Social Problems in 2002 as a scholarly forum to contributions of Africa Africans during the course also excelled not only as teachers and scholars, but interrogate societal issues in an ongoing program of the 100 years of existence of the University of as community servants; therapists; activists; field characterized by intellectual rigor.