In Memoriam: Ralph C. Gomes, 1937-2020

Ralph Gomes, a professor of sociology at Howard University in Washington, D.C., died on March 16. He was 82 years old.

A proud native of Guyana, Dr. Gomes received a bachelor’s degree from the Inter-American University in San German, Puerto Rico. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. In 1960, Dr. Gomes represented his native country of Guyana as a middle-distance runner in the Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy.  

Dr. Gomes began his career in 1971 at Howard University as a lecturer in what was then the department of sociology and anthropology. He quickly moved on to become an assistant professor in 1973. In 1974, Dr. Gomes wrote the proposal and successfully advocated for the establishment of what remains the only Ph.D. program in sociology at an HBCU. He served on the Howard University faculty for 49 years. Dr. Gomes co-authored the book From Exclusion to Inclusion: The Long Struggle for African American Political Power (Praeger, 1991).

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