Clarence Fielder, professor emeritus at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, died on April 3. He was 87 years old.
In 1909, Professor Fielder’s mother, Gertrude, was the first African American ever born in Las Cruces. Clarence Fielder graduated from New Mexico State University in 1950 and then joined the U.S. Army. He earned the Purple Heart and Silver Star while serving in Korea. After the war, he returned to the United States and earned a master’s degree in education at New Mexico State University.
Professor Fielder taught in the Las Cruces public schools for 32 years and taught African American history at New Mexico State University from 1970 to 2010.
