Robert Benjamin Hayes
8th President of George R. Smith College
In office
1916–1925
Preceded byMatthew Simpson Davage
Personal details
BornMay 13, 1876
Navasota, Texas, U.S.
Died?
SpouseHattie P. Melton
Children5
Alma materBaker University
OccupationEducator, academic administrator, college president

Robert Benjamin Hayes (May 13, 1876–?)[1] was an American educator, academic administrator and college president.[2] He headed Philander Smith College's natural science department, and served as the president of George R. Smith College from 1916 until 1925.[3][4]

Biography

Robert Benjamin Hayes was born on May 13, 1876, in Navasota, Texas, to African American parents Laura (née Clayton) and Lucius Hayes.[1] He studied at public elementary and secondary schools in Chetopa, Kansas, and Guthrie, Oklahoma.[1] He was the first Black child to attend high school in the Oklahoma Territory.[4]

Hayes graduated with a bachelor of philosophy degree (1903), and master of arts degree (1903) from Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas.[1][4][5]

He headed Philander Smith College's natural science department from 1903 until 1916.[1][4] Hayes served as the president of George R. Smith College, from 1916 until 1925.[4][6] Under his leadership, students from George R. Smith College participated in the State Constitutional Convention of Missouri.[4] Starting in 1925 after George R. Smith College burned down, he served as the Dean of New Orleans University.[4][6]

He married Hattie P. Melton in 1909, and together they had five children.[1][4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mathers, Frank Lincoln, ed. (1915). Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent. Vol. 1. p. 133.
  2. ↑ "The Christian Educator: A Quarterly Magazine of Facts". Board of Education for Negroes of the Methodist Episcopal Church. February 18, 1916 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ Stowell, Jay Samuel (February 18, 1922). Methodist Adventures in Negro Education. Methodist book concern. pp. 143–144. ISBN 9781461140627 – via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Who's Who in Colored America. Vol. 1. Who's Who in Colored America Corporation. 1927. p. 243.
  5. ↑ "Alumni record of Baker University : including an account of the principal events in the first twenty-five years of the history of the college, with a roster of the trustees and the faculty, and their offices". Baldwin City, Kan. : [Baker University]. February 18, 1917 – via Internet Archive.
  6. 1 2 Seventy Years of Service: New Orleans University. Faculty of New Orleans University. 1935. p. 40.


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