Hugh M. Gloster papers

Hugh M. Gloster, President of Morehouse College (1967-1987), was professionally active as an administrator, teacher, writer, speaker, USO wartime executive, and American representative in educational and technical programs in foreign countries.

Dr. Gloster was born on May 11, 1911 in Brownsville, TN to John and Dora Gloster. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Gloster held high school and junior college diplomas from LeMoyne College, and a B.A Degree in English from Morehouse College. He received his M.A. degree from Atlanta University, and later completed his Ph.D. in English at New York University.

He held honorary doctorates from Emory University, Hampton University, LeMoyne-Owen College, Mercer University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, Morgan State University, New York University, St. Paul's College, the University of Haiti, Washington University, and Wayne State University.

Prior to assuming the presidency of Morehouse College in 1967, Dr. Gloster held teaching positions at LeMoyne and Morehouse Colleges, as well as administrative positions with the United Service Organization (USO) and Hampton Institute. During World War II, he was the USO Program Director at Fort Huachuca and USO Associate Regional Executive in Atlanta.

Following World War II, he served as Chairman of the Communications Center (Division of Language and Literature), Director of Summer Session, and Dean of Faculty at Hampton Institute. He twice served at New York University as a Visiting Professor of American Literature, first at Washington Square College and later in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

A prolific writer, Dr. Gloster authored many articles and gave numerous lectures on American Literature and education. He also authored and edited several books including, Negro Voices in American Fiction, The Brown Thrush, andMy Life - My Country - My World.

Dr. Gloster also participated in overseas educational programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. From 1953-1955, he was the Fulbright Professor of English at Hiroshima University in Japan. In 1961-1962, he served as Visiting Professor of English in the International Educational Exchange Program at the University of Warsaw in Poland. Dr. Gloster further participated as a Professor of English in the American Specialists Program at the universities of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Cracow, Poland, and Valencia, Spain.

Under the auspices of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO), Dr. Gloster participated with other Black college presidents in visits to Haiti, Puerto Rico, India, Taiwan, Kenya, Morocco, and Mexico to develop and facilitate exchange programs for faculty and students.

Dr. Gloster served as a member of several presidential commissions appointed by U.S. government agencies to further international education and relations. In 1984, he represented the U.S. Department of Education in travel to the People's Republic of China to develop an exchange program. In 1986, he was a delegate to the Republic of South Africa, under the sponsorship of USAID, to recommend steps that public and private organizations could take to upgrade education for Blacks in that country.

As President of Morehouse College, Dr. Gloster's tenure resulted in the development and establishment of the Morehouse School of Medicine, which became an independent institution in 1981. Dr. Gloster also established eight new majors and a duel engineering program with Georgia Tech, and established a major in International Studies supported by programs in African Studies and Caribbean Studies.

Dr. Gloster was the founder, former president, and life member of the College Language Association, and an Advisory editor to the College Language Association Journal. He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees or Directors of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change, Morehouse College, the Morehouse College School of Medicine, Atlanta University, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the United Negro College Fund. He was a former Vice President and President of the Association of Private Colleges and Universities in Georgia.

Dr. Gloster married Dr. Beulah H. Gloster, a Professor of English, Director of the Writing Laboratory, and Hostess of the College. They had three children, Alice Gloster, Evelyn Gloster Dawkins, and Hugh M. Gloster.