Terrance Dean, an assistant professor of Black studies at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, was found dead in his apartment in Columbus, Ohio, during a wellness check by authorities. He was 53 years old.
A native of Detroit, Dr. Dean was a graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, where he majored in communication. He then moved to work and worked for the MTV Network for 15 years. He later earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in religion and African Americans studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Dr. Dean joined the faculty at Denison University in 2019. His research interests included gender and sexuality, Black religion and homiletics, rhetoric and communication, the African diaspora, Black cultural studies, James Baldwin and Afrofuturism. He was the author of Reclaim Your Power! A 30-Day Guide to Hope, Healing and Inspiration for Men of Color (Random House, 2003), Hiding in Hip Hop: On the Down Low in the Entertainment Industry — from Music to Hollywood (Atria, 2008) and Straight From Your Gay Best Friend – The Straight-Up Truth About Relationships, Love, and Having A Fabulous Life (Agate, 2010).
