Twiley Barker facts for kids

Twiley W. Barker, Jr. (born January 29, 1926 – died July 13, 2009) was an important American political scientist. A political scientist studies how governments work and how people make decisions in a country. Twiley Barker also studied constitutional law, which means he looked at the main laws that set up a government and protect people's rights. He was one of the first teachers in the political science department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He worked there for many years, from 1962 until he retired in 1994.

Twiley W. Barker: A Life of Learning and Teaching

Early Life and Education

Twiley Barker was born in Franklinton, Louisiana, on January 29, 1926. He grew up in this town. His brother, Lucius Barker, also became a political scientist.

Twiley first went to Tuskegee University for his college studies. During this time, he joined the Air Force to serve his country. After his time in the Air Force, he finished his bachelor's degree at Southern University. He studied there at the same time as his brother Lucius. Both brothers were encouraged to study politics instead of medicine by their teacher, Rodney Higgins.

Later, Twiley Barker earned his PhD degree in 1955 from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Teaching and Research

After finishing his studies, Twiley Barker taught at Southern Illinois University from 1955 to 1960. In 1962, he moved to the University of Illinois at Chicago. He helped start the political science department there. He also led the undergraduate program for 20 years. He even helped create a special program for students who wanted to become lawyers.

Barker's research focused on constitutional law and how judges make decisions in the United States. For example, he compared the early work of two important judges, Clarence Thomas and Thurgood Marshall.

In 1970, he and his brother Lucius Barker wrote a textbook together called Civil Liberties and the Constitution. This book became a very important and popular textbook. By 2020, it had been published nine times! It is still seen as a classic book about how the American legal system works.

Awards and Mentoring

Twiley Barker was known for being an excellent teacher and a great mentor. A mentor is someone who guides and advises younger people. Many of his students went on to do great things. For example, Carol Moseley Braun became the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Tony Podesta became a well-known political lobbyist.

In 1966, Barker won the UIC Silver Circle Award. This was his university's highest award for teaching. He also won the 1969 E. Harris Harbison Prize from the Danforth Foundation. This award recognized his "unusual accomplishments in college teaching."

Community Involvement

Besides his work at the university, Twiley Barker also helped in his local community. He worked to stop unfair changes in his Chicago neighborhood, Groveland Park. He wanted to make sure everyone in the community was treated fairly.

Twiley Barker had two children. He passed away on July 13, 2009. He remained a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, meaning he kept his title even after retiring.

Selected Works

• Civil Liberties and the Constitution, with Lucius Barker (1970)

Selected Awards

• UIC Silver Circle Award (1966)
• E. Harris Harbison Prize, Danforth Foundation (1969)