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Ralphael O'Hara Lanier becomes first president of Texas Southern University
On this day in 1948, Ralphael O'Hara Lanier, who had earlier served five
years as dean of Houston Colored Junior College and more recently as
United States Minister to Liberia, became the first president of the
Texas State University for Negroes (now Texas Southern University). The
university was established by the Fiftieth Texas Legislature on March 3,
1947. The intent of the legislature was to offer the state's black
citizens a university equivalent to the University of Texas, in accord
with the "separate but equal" principle of segregation. Lanier had a
record of leadership in higher education, which made him a good
selection for the new university. His administration, however, was
troubled with both internal and external difficulties. As president, he
had to face divisiveness between students who opposed a separate black
college and wished to attend the University of Texas and students who
pushed for the establishment of a first-class, yet segregated, black
university. Lanier enjoyed the general support of African Americans, but
the white establishment and a small group of black intellectuals opposed
him. Local newspapers launched a series of attacks on him throughout his
tenure, alleging poor administration, unskilled personnel, fiscal
irresponsibility, communism, and general confusion on campus. Lanier
opposed the autonomy of the law school on campus, feeling that it would
generate the perception of two separate universities. A local American
Legion post called for the governor to start an investigation of the
university. In 1953 a committee of Houston citizens was appointed to
study the situation and report to the governor. The committee reported
that the charges were unfounded, and that under Lanier's leadership the
university had expanded in terms of student enrollment, curriculum, and
physical facilities. The report, however, stated that the existence of
two leaders, Lanier in charge of academics and John Robinson in charge
of fiscal matters, was awkward. Robinson resigned. Despite the
difficulties he faced, the university not only survived, but grew under
Lanier's leadership. Nevertheless, after seven often turbulent years at
Texas Southern, he left the presidency. There has been some debate over
whether he resigned freely.
- Links to Related Handbook of Texas Online Articles
- LANIER, RALPHAEL O'HARA
- TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
- HIGHER EDUCATION
- SEGREGATION
- Other Texas Day by Day Articles for This Date
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