Nick Aaron Ford facts for kids

Nick Aaron Ford Jr. (born August 4, 1904 – died July 17, 1982) was an important American writer and teacher. He was born in South Carolina and went to college at Benedict College and Iowa State University. Later, he became a professor at Morgan State University. He even held a special teaching position called the Alain Locke Distinguished Professorship of Black Studies.

Early Life and Education

Nick Aaron Ford Jr. was born on August 4, 1904, in Ridgeway, South Carolina. His father, Nick Aaron Ford Sr., and his mother, Carrie, raised him. His mother was a substitute teacher. His grandfather, Sanders Ford, was a well-known person who served in the South Carolina Senate.

From ages ten to sixteen, Nick Ford Jr. went to school in Winnsboro, Louisiana. This school was only for Black students at the time. After that, he attended a high school connected to Benedict College. He then earned his bachelor's degree from Benedict College in 1926.

Teaching Career

After college, Ford worked as a principal at the Schofield Normal School in Aiken, South Carolina. He stayed there until 1928. Then, he decided to continue his education. He enrolled at Iowa State University to study journalism.

Ford earned his master's degree in 1934. Later, he completed his doctorate degree in 1945. In 1945, he started teaching at Morgan State College. He became a very important part of the university. In 1973, he was named the Alain Locke Distinguished Professor of Black Studies.

Leading the English Department

Nick Aaron Ford Jr. was the head of Morgan State University's English Department for many years. He led the department for 23 years, from 1947 to 1972. During this time, he strongly supported the study of African American history and culture. This field is often called African American studies.

In 1927, he married Janie Etheridge, and they had a son together. Later, in 1968, he married Ola Scroggins Ford. Nick Aaron Ford Jr. passed away in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 17, 1982.

His Books

Nick Aaron Ford Jr. wrote several books. One of his books, Extending Horizons: Selected Readings for Cultural Enrichment, is very special. A copy of this book, signed by him, is kept in the collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

• Extending Horizons: Selected Readings for Cultural Enrichment

His Legacy

Nick Aaron Ford Jr. left a lasting impact. In 1983, Morgan State University started a special event to honor him. It's called the Nick Aaron Ford and Waters Edward Turpin Symposium on African-American Literature. This event is named after Ford and Waters Edward Turpin. Turpin was another writer and teacher who worked with Ford at Morgan State.

Ford's important papers, including his letters, early versions of his books, and other writings, are kept at the University of South Carolina.