Celebrating Black History: 1st African- American full professor at USC
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COLUMBIA (WACH) – Doctor Johnnie McFadden has been an educator for more than fifty years. He says his love for empowering people is what inspired him to teach.
“Minds that are built by people by teachers, professors live a lifetime,” says Dr. Johnnie McFadden.
Prior to coming to the University of South Carolina he helped to desegregate schools in North Carolina.
He says that’s what got the attention of some members of USC’s administration in the early 70′s.
He was given the position as a staff specialist at the South Carolina School Desegregation Center at the College of Education.
“To help teachers understand what it was like to just teach children regardless of color.”
His hard work and dedication to the university paid off.
He became the first African-American tenured full professor post reconstruction at USC.
He recalls however not everyone was thrilled about his promotion.
“Who is this guy coming in receiving tenure and promotion at an early age?”
Dr. McFadden says during that time African-American faculty was virtually no where in sight.
“I served under Provost Keith Davis as a special assistant to the Provost for minority faculty development and that job was to help recruit interview and incite more black faculty to come to the University,” says Dr. McFadden.
Throughout the years Dr. McFadden has taught Psychology, Education, and Liberal Arts.
His wife, the late Dr. Grace McFadden, was a source of encouragement for him during the times when making history was tough.
He eventually went on to establish different programs that helped high school students prepare for college; such as the Benjamin Mays Academy for Leadership Development.
“We ran that program every Saturday 9-4 in the afternoon. Fall through spring, writing essays listening to lectures doing demonstrations.”
Because of his expertise in the educational field, Dr. McFadden continues to give support and advice to the Provost.
His work has also opened several doors for him.
He’s been a special guest instructor at several universities on every continent he says except Antarctica.
Students who get the opportunity to work with Dr. McFadden say they count it a blessing.
“Their are individuals like him still in the community, still doing excellent work, still advocating not just for scholars of color but scholars in general,” says Regina Evarn Wargg Phd student at USC.
Click here for a link to Dr. McFadden’s USC faculty page.
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