Rufus Early Clement facts for kids

Rufus Early Clement (June 26, 1900 – November 7, 1967) was an important leader in education. He was the sixth and longest-serving president of Atlanta University. This university is a historically Black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. He led the university for 30 years.

Rufus Clement's Career and Leadership

Rufus Clement was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. He began his career as a professor at Livingstone College in Salisbury. Later, he became the dean there. He then served as the first dean of Louisville Municipal College. This school is now known as Simmons College of Kentucky.

Leading Atlanta University

In 1937, Clement was chosen to be the president of Atlanta University. He held this important position until he passed away in 1967. This means he was president for three decades.

Working for Civil Rights

Clement was also involved in the fight for civil rights. W. E. B. Du Bois was a famous civil rights leader. He and Clement had different ideas about how to achieve equal rights for African Americans. Some people believe these differences led to Du Bois leaving Atlanta University in 1944.

Making History in Atlanta

In 1953, Clement made history in Atlanta. He was elected to the Atlanta School Board. This was a very big deal. He was the first Black person to hold public office in Atlanta since the Reconstruction era. Reconstruction was a time after the American Civil War when the country was rebuilding.

The 1966 Governor's Election

In 1966, there was an important election for governor in Georgia. Clement supported the Republican candidate, Howard "Bo" Callaway. Callaway was running against Democrat Lester Maddox. Maddox was a businessman who strongly supported segregation. Segregation meant keeping people of different races apart. Maddox had even closed his restaurant to avoid letting Black people eat there.

Clement and the Negro Baptist Convention believed that supporting Callaway was the only way to stop Maddox from winning. Many Black voters did not agree with Callaway's conservative views. However, they wanted to prevent Maddox from becoming governor. In the end, neither candidate won enough votes directly. So, the Georgia General Assembly chose Maddox as governor.

Clement's Family Connections

Rufus Clement had several family members who also became well-known. His nephew, George Clement Bond, became an anthropologist. He taught at Columbia University in New York City. Another nephew was J. Max Bond, Jr., who was a famous architect. Clement was also related to Horace Mann Bond, another important educator.

Clement's son-in-law was Robert Joseph Pershing Foster. He was the personal doctor for the famous musician Ray Charles.