In Memoriam: Aaron Shirley, 1933-2014

Dr Aaron ShirleyAaron Shirley, the first African American resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, died on November 26 in Jackson, Mississippi. He was 81 years old.

Dr. Shirley was a native of Gluckstadt, Mississippi. He was a graduate of Tougaloo College in Mississippi and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Shirley served as a clinical instructor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Mississippi for more than 40 years. He was a the co-founder of the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center and was chair of the Jackson Medical Mall, a collaboration of the Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and the University of Mississippi.

In 1993, Dr. Shirley was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as a genius award, for his creative approach to bringing medical care to the poor and underserved.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Graduate Enrollment Surges at Winston-Salem State University

In fall 2024, Winston-Salem State University enrolled 244 new graduate students, an increase of 31.2 percent from the prior year. The HBCU now enrolls nearly 600 graduate students.

Two Black Women College Presidents Announce Their Retirements

Gilda Barbino, president of Olin College of Engineering, and Soraya Coley, president of Cal Poly, Pomona, have announced their plans to retire at the end of this academic year. Both Dr. Barbino and Dr. Coley are the first woman presidents of their institutions.

Norfolk State University to Construct a $118 Million STEM Facility

As part of an ongoing $90 million fundraising campaign, Norfolk State University has announced plans to establish a 131,000-square-foot STEM building to advance its research capabilities and science academic programming.

Two Black Men Selected for Academic Appointments at Universities

The faculty members with new appointments are Christopher Small at Florida State University and Dwight McBride at Washington University in St. Louis.

Featured Jobs