Collection of First African American Professor at U of A Now Open

MC 1979 Box 3 Folder 24

Gordon Morgan

The Special Collections division of the University Libraries has recently completed processing for the Gordon Morgan Papers, which document the life and work of the University of Arkansas' first African American professor. The public is welcome to view and use the collection any time Special Collections is open. 

Morgan, a Mayflower native, was hired in 1969 as an associate professor of sociology and retired in 2012 as an emeritus professor. He passed away in December 2019. Morgan Hall, part of the Northwest Quad on campus, is named in his honor. 

The Gordon Morgan Papers contain teaching materials, research files, correspondence and manuscripts — both published and unpublished. Many of his writings draw on his personal experience as a person of color at the U of A. During his lifetime, Morgan published over a dozen books, 20 journal articles, 20 manuscripts, 20 newspaper articles and 10 plays. 

"I am pleased that Dr. Morgan chose to preserve his work at the U of A Libraries," said Amy Allen, university archivist. "We are excited to provide access to this collection documenting a trailblazer in U of A history." 

Morgan donated his papers to Special Collections in 2015. They were processed by Heath Robinson, university archives assistant, and processing was completed in 2020.