In Memoriam: Russell G. Hamilton, 1934-2016

RussellHamiltonRussell G. Hamilton, professor emeritus of Spanish and Portuguese at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, died late last month in Minnesota, where he lived after his retirement. He was 81 years old.

Dr. Hamilton joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University in 1984 as dean for graduate studies and research. He was the first African American to serve as a dean of a Vanderbilt school or college. Before joining the Vanderbilt faculty, Dr. Hamilton was a full professor and associate dean for faculty at the University of Minnesota.

Nicholas S. Zeppos, chancellor of Vanderbilt University, stated that “Russell Hamilton was a true pioneer whose ability to bring people together to advance Vanderbilt’s growth brought distinction to the university’s academic mission and inspired us all. He was deeply respected and admired, and we can all learn a great deal from Dean Hamilton’s legacy of recognizing and empowering his colleagues. His dedicated service as dean and transformative achievements paved the way for so many.”

A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Professor Hamilton held a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin and then studied for two years in Brazil. He returned to the United States to complete a Ph.D. at Yale University.

Dr. Hamilton was the author of two books: Literatura Africana, Literatura Necessaria (Luanda, 1981) and Voice From an Empire: A History of Afro-Portuguese Literature (University of Minnesota Press, 1975).

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

New Report Sets the Baseline for Future Studies on the Effect of Texas’ DEI Ban on College Campuses

"Ensuring all Texas students have the opportunity to succeed will directly strengthen our workforce and economy," write the report's authors. "While it’s too early to assess the impact of SB 17, continuous monitoring of student outcomes is critical to improving efficiency and maximizing the potential of our future workforce."

Robert Jones Named the First Black President of the University of Washington

Dr. Jones is slated to become the University of Washington's first Black president on August 1. He comes to his new role from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he has served as the institution's first Black chancellor for the past nine years.

Study Uncovers More Evidence That Black Students Are Overrepresented in School Discipline

In an examination of six different kinds of school discipline and punishment, three comparison groups, and 16 subpopulations, a new study has found that "no matter how you slice it, Black students are overrepresented among those punished and excluded."

Jermaine Whirl Selected to Lead Savannah State University in Georgia

“Savannah State has a rich history of producing world class artists, educators, scientists, military leaders, corporate executives and public policy advocates," said Dr. Whirl. "I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater Savannah community to continue the legacy of the state’s first public HBCU.”

Featured Jobs